By Matt de Simone
During the September 24 meeting of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, Fire & EMS Chief Jason Ferguson came before the board seeking approval for the purchase of new ambulances.
Two ambulances were previously ordered at the October 25, 2022 board meeting and were already factored in for FY 26, according to Ferguson, who made the ask of a third truck to be produced at the same time, arriving in Fall of 2025.
The board approved the future arrival of a third ambulance in 2025 (FY 26) and three more to arrive in 2027 (FY 28).
During the October 2022 meeting of the Board of Supervisors, the department asked for the purchase of two ambulances, two firetrucks, and a ladder truck. At the time, the department felt that two new ambulances were sufficient due to possibly getting a better lead time for the arrival those vehicles.
“Unfortunately, that lead time has not diminished at all,” Ferguson said in an interview last week. “From a timing perspective, September (2024) was the right time to take it before the board so that we could lock this in so we are obligating ourselves for FY 26. That’s why we increased from two ambulances to a third.”
The department’s new goal, as Ferguson shared with the board, is maintaining a fleet that renews at 150,000 miles over eight years. While the ambulances are diesel trucks, the longevity of engines and components with DEF systems and ever-changing technology do not last in a stable and safely operable state.
Ferguson made note of a recent grant request (Rescue Squad Assistance Grant) for 50% of the load systems and stretchers for the two trucks currently on order which would “stifle” about $60,000 of the cost. While reviewing the fiscal impact of these purchases, Ferguson made an ask for three more ambulances in the future (making six total from FY 25-28) by late 2027. Essentially, from the initial ask in 2022, the department will have one new ambulance per year from 2025-2028 if the three vehicles on the way are accounted for years 2022-24.
