May 13:
As previously stated, Medic 15, Troy’s sprinter-type ambulance, is in service for its second week. Medic 15 includes an Advanced Life Support (ALS) crew, equipment, supplies, and computers, and can provide similar services to traditional ambulances. This unit is a smaller, cost-effective solution to the increase in lower-acuity or lower-priority EMS calls in Troy and surrounding areas. Medic 15 allows firefighters to respond to lower priority calls in a unit with a full ALS crew and equipment, while keeping our larger ambulances in service and available to respond to acute calls.
Several factors led to the acquisition and deployment of Medic 15. The $111,000 ambulance was generously donated by the UVMC Foundation. Medic 15 was also available immediately, unlike a Ford 450 Type 1 ambulance, which costs over $300,000 and has a three-year estimated delivery time. The Troy Fire Department is currently awaiting delivery of a Ford 450 Type 1 ambulance ordered over three years ago. Medic 15 will lower overall maintenance costs and extend the life span of the Fire Department’s fleet.
Medic 15 is an enhancement of our EMS services for our community. For the time being, command staff plan to staff this ambulance during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, the times identified as higher in call volume. This change means Station 11 now has two ambulances, Medic 11 and Medic 15. To help staff Medic 15, Troy Fire has scheduled an additional firefighter at Station 11. When new Medic 15 is responding to a call from Station 11, personnel at Station 11 will be available and capable of responding with Medic 11, or with the ALS-equipped fire engine, to the downtown district. Of course, ambulances and engines at Stations 12 and 13 are also available to respond to calls.
May 12:
Today marks the second week that the new Troy Fire Department ambulance has been in limited service. Thanks to the generous support of the UVMC Foundation and Premier Health, this unit is answering low-priority calls during peak times of the weekday. Our Fire Command Staff, led by Chief Matt Simmons, analyzed call volumes and found that, while our department workload is within the national standards, 68 percent of our calls occur between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and nearly 75 percent of those calls are low-priority. At this time, we plan to staff this ambulance during the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
This means Station 11 now has two ambulances: Medic 11 and the additional new ambulance, Medic 15. To help staff the Medic 15, we have scheduled an additional firefighter at Station 11. When Medic 15 is responding to a call from Station 11, we still have personnel at Station 11 capable of responding with the ALS-equipped engine or Medic 11 to our downtown district. Of course, we still have ambulances and engines at Stations 12 and 13 available to respond to calls.
As previously stated by Mayor Robin Oda, "We're very thankful to UVMC and Premier for this new ambulance, which will provide additional emergency support to our citizens. We remain good stewards of taxpayer funding and are always looking at ways we can improve and increase services to our community”.