Patients transported by the Peachtree City Fire and Rescue Department
will now have a smoother ride and better care now that the city’s
four ambulances have been standardized.
The new ambulances feature larger patient compartments, which allows
more than one paramedic and EMT to work on a patient at one time with
room on both side of the stretcher, officials said.
The new ambulances also have enhanced safety features to protect the
patient compartment in the event of an auto accident.
The department also received many complaints about the rough rides in
older ambulances, but the new ambulance offers a better ride, officials
said.
The department’s ambulance fleet is now standardized; five years
ago, the department had four different “brands” of ambulances,
which made maintenance difficult. It was also hard for paramedics and
EMTs to find equipment quickly when crews transferred between the various
ambulances, officials said.
The new ambulances also have more storage area for equipment and supplies
including firefighting “bunker” gear that all personnel must
carry. All paramedics and EMTs are also expected to perform duties at
fire calls.
The ambulances come with a 20-year warranty for the patient compartment,
meaning it can be switched to another chassis when the present vehicles
wear out. That will save thousands of dollars in replacement costs, officials
said.
The ambulance model used by Peachtree City is manufactured by Road Rescue,
Inc. and was bought from a distributor in Tyrone.
