Dalton Fire District Anticipating February Arrival for Ambulance
DALTON, Mass. — The Fire District is anticipating the arrival of its new ambulance in February.
During a special fire district meeting in December, voters approved borrowing up to $350,000 for the purchase of a new ambulance and any related costs.
The Fire Department has two ambulances: 2019 Ford 550 and a 2016 International. It had been demonstrated during several meetings that both vehicles need to be replaced because of their deteriorating condition.
The district will be trading in both vehicles. The Ford has a trade-in value of $30,000 and the International $2,500.
The new apparatus is an F450 series, a pickup-style, two-wheel drive, so it would have a larger motor and transmission, heavier-duty brakes, and be an all-around heavy-duty vehicle. The anticipated cost is about $345,000 to be rolled out as an Advanced Life Support unit.
The district had been discussing investing in a new truck but expected a three-year turnaround. But unanticipated opportunity came up — a buyer had backed out of a vehicle order at the last minute, so an ambulance became available early.
The district got a loan from Greenfield Co-op with a 4.75 interest rate. This loan requires the distinct to take a new loan out every year, so they hope the rate goes down next year, District Clerk and Treasurer Melanie Roucoulet said
The funding for the ambulance is expected at the end of January said Charlotte Crane, fire prevention officer and emergency medical technician, during the Fire District meeting on Tuesday.
The district purchased the ambulance from Allegiance Fire and Rescue. The cost came to about $338,000, including the decals and the transferring of the radios and power load stretcher system.
The district hopes to have the ambulance paid off in four to five years, Roucoulet said.
