Rural Metro Ambulance is making a $1.5-million investment in new ambulances for the Buffalo area. The vehicles are part of a pilot project which the ambulance service is conducting in Buffalo and a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.
Rural Metro Regional Director Jay Smith says 7 of the 12 new vehicles unveiled today are "Concept Mercedes Sprinter" style ambulances which include many new updates for improved patient care. They're also more fuel efficient.
By the end of the year, Smith expects 19 of the new-style vehicles to be in service in the city of Buffalo.
Smith notes Buffalo was one of two localities selected to test the new ambulances on the road.
"Buffalo is one of the largest markets for the company nationwide and we obviously have unique challenges here with our weather," says Smith. "Our city of Buffalo call volume is very high. So those combinations, high volume, extreme weather circumstances and a senior workforce really went into the decision to say this is a good market to pilot these ambulances."
The new fleet was blessed this morning by the chaplain of the Buffalo Fire Department and Erie County Emergency Services. Smith says that's a tradition before placing EMS vehicles on the road.