Tenn. County to Rent Ambulances
Nov. 30--With delivery of the Shelby County Fire Department's 12 new ambulances delayed until January, the department will rent nine fully stocked ambulances for 60 days at a cost of $290,268.
The County Commission's public works committee approved the lease with Southeastern Specialty Vehicles on Wednesday with money that will come from the county's fire fund, said Tom Needham, county public works director.
The commission approved in October the creation of a fire-based ambulance service after outside provider American Medical Response proposed contract adjustments that would have increased the $1.7 million annual contract by as much as $2.8 million.
The commission approved a $5 million expense to establish the ambulance service, including $2.5 million for ambulances. It expects to operate the fire service for about $1 million less a year than AMR.
It had been hoped that the county's service would start Jan. 1, but delays have pushed the delivery of the new ambulances back to mid-January, Needham said.
The ambulance service will cover the unincorporated areas, Arlington, Lakeland and Millington.
At the end of the lease, which will begin Dec. 15, the county will keep medical supplies, he said.
The full commission will vote on the resolution on Monday.
Copyright 2016 - The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
