The El Campo City Council on Sept. 8 approved Resolution R‑2025‑45 authorizing the purchase of five Hamilton T1 ventilators with accessories and a five-year extended-service plan from Hamilton Medical. The council voted unanimously.

City EMS staff said the newer ventilators offer more automated, patient-adaptive modes and reduce the number of manual settings that can introduce error. "They can adapt better to the patient and literally push a button and it'll read all the compliance with the patient's lungs and make it the the best, breath to that patient compared to our current ones," the EMS speaker said, explaining the equipment would improve care and streamline provider work.

Staff said the purchase is timed to use excess billing revenue this year to replace capital equipment and that the five-year service plan raises the multi-year contract value into the procurement threshold requiring council approval. Staff stated the initial outlay this year would be $82,500 and the service plan would add approximately $10,600 annually thereafter; staff also described a bulk discount on the five-year plan if locked in now. The current ventilators are roughly five to seven years old, staff said, and the department intends to include replacement planning for future capital cycles.

Staff discussed disposition of the current units and said resale or donation options would be pursued; the EMS speaker cautioned aftermarket service options may be limited. A councilmember said the equipment could reduce human error and speed patient evaluation.

The motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and passed unanimously.