With a fleet of five ambulances getting older and well-worn by the week, the Trigg County Hospital Board unanimously approved for bids to be sought on a replacement during Thursday night’s monthly assembly.
John Sumner, Trigg County Hospital CEO, noted a bid for an ambulance went out four-to-five months ago, but due to COVID-19 and chip shortages for vehicle computers, that bid’s return date is “to be determined.”
Meanwhile, Sumner has been on the hunt for some different accessible models that could price around $140,000, and the plan is to eventually have two new ambulances in the fleet.
Sumner added ambulance mileage is particularly eyed once it reaches 64,000 miles — with up to 222,000 miles being the highest need for immediate replacement.
It’s possible that a slightly-used ambulance is the best choice, as Sumner said the purpose of the bids will be to seek the best option.
Sumner also noted that the two decommissioned ambulances, once replaced, will enter into the county surplus auction — where they aren’t expected to draw much recompense.
The dire need for local paramedics was also addressed on Thursday, with Sumner stating paramedic pay will soon raise from $19.65/hr to $22.50/hr, in an effort to improve both the recruitment and the retention of the position.
In COVID-19 news, Sumner said 5,217 doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been administered in Trigg County as of Thursday — with 100-plus doses given this week alone.
He said there had been an uptick in vaccinations due to the recent news of the rampant “Delta variant,” but that vaccine numbers were “nowhere near” he’d like them to be.
