A county official told the Marion County Council that two new gas ambulances have arrived and are being equipped, and that the county is preparing to station one in Brisenau and at least one in Marion. The official said the new units have 14‑foot bodies (compared with older 12‑foot bodies), improved patient‑compartment climate controls that reduce the need to run the engine continuously, and modern equipment.

The county will retain the best of two retiring ambulances as a spare, increasing the county’s spare fleet to two vehicles. The official said an additional ambulance has been ordered and is expected to arrive around November 2026, subject to the supplier’s schedule.

Council members asked about staffing. The county official said Marion County is ‘‘in pretty good shape’’ overall but is short of paramedics—a shortage the official called common in many counties. To address that gap, the county is working with local workforce training partners and the ACT Center on programs that provide paramedic pathways. A workforce representative reported that a recent training program could run only if at least six local participants enrolled; the county will help publicize such classes to boost recruitment.

No formal council action was taken on ambulances or staffing at this meeting.