SAN LUIS, Ariz. — This city of San Luis said its new fleet of ambulances will respond much faster to its residents’ medical emergencies, and at a much smaller cost.
San Luis Fire Department recently purchased an ambulance from the nearby Somerton Fire Department and hired two drivers. Since July 6, the department has run the city’s ambulance services, with plans to add additional a second and third ambulance in the next six months.
The city’s goal was always to be able to provide its own emergency services, Fire Chief Hank Green tells the Yuma Sun.
“We want any person who has an injury or medical emergency to be able to receive the service from us,” he said, “because we are here and we can arrive sooner to take them to the hospital so they can be cared for.”
The contracted ambulances that served San Luis from 2012 until this year would often take as long as 25 minutes to arrive on scene, especially if they were tied up outside of the city. San Luis’ new ambulances are predicted to be able to respond to new calls in five or six minutes.
The new ambulance service is also projected to raise over $500,000 in revenue, which will help cover the $1.5 million needed to purchase two ambulances and hire two EMT-certified drivers.
“When I officially started as chief (of the fire department) in 2007, I was given instructions to improve the ambulance service,” Green said. “But those who have done the work are our employees.”
Green said the city San Luis would like to expand its EMS to three ambulances with 13 people on duty at each shift.