[Durham INC] New Durham County EMS Ambulances Join Fleet

[Jones, Henry R.]

[A close up of a sign  Description automatically generated]
NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                          Date: 08/28/2024
Contact: Public Information Office                   Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020
E-mail: publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov<mailto:publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov>

New Durham County EMS Ambulances Join Fleet

Durham, N.C. - The Durham County Office of Emergency Services Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division received five new ambulances to help better serve the residents of Durham County in late June. These five Braun Liberty Type I modules contain custom-designed, 13-foot compartments and complete a more than three-year long commitment from the Board of County Commissioners and EMS to enhance its fleet of vehicles. These ambulances are Ford F550 Super Cabs that are equipped with state-of-the-art features that make them safer and more energy efficient.

"Durham County EMS is not only proud of our new ambulances but also wish to recognize the hard work from the BOCC for making it happen as well as our paramedics and emergency medical technicians for continuing their very important work while waiting for these additions," said Interim Chief Paramedic Gordon Smith. "These new, very capable ambulances will serve as the model for our fleet moving forward."

The vehicles have been striped and lettered with Durham County EMS identifiers. The final pieces - adding radios and computer mounts - are being installed to make them road ready. They will then be stocked and inspected by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services. These five vehicles are scheduled to be road ready by October 1.

The BOCC approved funding<https://durhamcounty.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5399304&GUID=C09E4419-E2D4-4BD3-A884-47BEEEC996E3> for this project at the Monday, February 14, 2022, Regular Session, and a contract was executed with Spartan Fire on March 14, 2022. The total cost for the five vehicles was $1,312,255.

"This investment reflects our commitment to providing our EMS teams with the tools they need to respond swiftly and effectively to the diverse needs of our growing population. Our paramedics and emergency medical technicians are often the first line of defense in critical situations, and it is our duty to support them with the best resources available," said Boad of County Commissioners Vice Chair Nimasheena Burns. "These state-of-the-art vehicles are more than just transportation; they are mobile lifelines, equipped with the latest medical technology to ensure that our residents receive the highest quality care in emergencies. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our EMS leadership and all those who worked tirelessly to make this upgrade possible. Together, we are building a safer, healthier, and more resilient Durham."

The work on this project by EMS staff was extensive, starting with an ambulance "rodeo" hosted during EMS Week in May of 2021. At this event, five different ambulance dealers displayed 16 different ambulances for the EMS team to look at and indicate what they liked, what they didn't like, and which unit(s) they believed would be the best fit for the work they do to respond to emergency needs of the community.

"As this information was compiled, we were told by all the manufacturing representatives that we were looking at a three-year build-out time due to COVID and supply chain issues," said Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Lockhart. "Pre-COVID, the typical build-out for ambulances was four to five months."

EMS leadership reviewed the comments from staff and compiled the information into a ranked list and in the end, the Braun Liberty model from Spartan Fire was the overall choice. A group of field providers went over the specifications and tweaked them to meet Durham County EMS' specific needs. Base drawings were then revised to reflect the County's intent and needs.

"This was the first time in years that the folks who ride on the ambulances played a major role in selecting the ambulance and designing the workspace," Lockhart added.

Some of the vehicle specifics include:


  *   Stealth Power<https://www.stealth-power.com/> for reducing idle time, emissions, fuel consumption, and enhancing engine longevity;
  *   Whelen<https://www.whelen.com/> all-LED custom lighting package for emergency lighting;
  *   Read seat bench seating that ensures secure storage for personnel safety equipment and personal items;
  *   Stryker Power Load<https://www.stryker.com/us/en/emergency-care/products/power-load.html> patient loading and restraint system that enhances patient safety and reduce provider injury risks;
  *   Liquid Spring<https://liquidspring.com/> suspension for improved patient comfort and vehicle durability;
  *   Brigade<https://brigade-electronics.com/camera-systems/backeye360/> 360-degree camera system provides comprehensive visibility promoting safety during driving and on-scene operations; and an
  *   Anti-theft package to always keep contents of vehicle safe.

For more information about this announcement, contact Smith at gssmith at dconc.gov<mailto:gssmith at dconc.gov> or 919-560-8233.

###
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.deltaforce.net/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20240828/ceb4e3cd/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 27795 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <https://lists.deltaforce.net/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20240828/ceb4e3cd/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: EMS1.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 454613 bytes
Desc: EMS1.jpg
URL: <https://lists.deltaforce.net/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20240828/ceb4e3cd/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: EMS2.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 571157 bytes
Desc: EMS2.jpg
URL: <https://lists.deltaforce.net/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20240828/ceb4e3cd/attachment-0003.jpg>