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Trotwood officials present plan to buy new medic unit; fire chief warns of two-year lead time
Summary
City staff presented a resolution to acquire a new medic unit through a government contract at an estimated cost above $276,837. Fire officials said delivery could take about 24 months and described steps to keep older vehicles in reserve.
Trotwood city staff presented a resolution authorizing the city manager to purchase a 02/2025 medic unit (MDX model MSB2170) on a Ford F-550 XLT gas chassis from PennCare Inc. through a cooperative government purchasing contract, using capital improvement funds for an amount thought to exceed $276,837.
The resolution was presented as part of the city's capital improvement plan; deputy city management staff noted the purchase is intended to replace aging equipment while keeping the 2010 medic in inventory as a backup. A council member asked about the delivery timeline and whether the purchase would face the multi-year delays the city experienced for a prior fire truck.
“ No. The fire truck took over 3 years, almost 4. This one’s got it delivered in a go of right now in 24 months,” the fire chief said, describing the expected lead time for the medic. The chief said a medic the city ordered in 2023 was due for delivery but was involved in a transit incident; the factory is handling repairs and the vehicle was being inspected for cosmetic and chassis damage before acceptance at Station 72.
The fire chief said the Ford chassis will be inspected by a local Ford dealership and, if needed, the chassis would be replaced so the ambulance box could be dropped onto a different chassis. “If there is something wrong, it will be sent back and, hopefully, get another chassis and drop the box onto a chassis,” the chief said. He acknowledged that a replacement chassis could still carry risk and take time.
Staff emphasized the procurement timing reflects a broader equipment lifecycle plan. The fire chief described a typical medic life cycle as about 10 to 12 years and said the city deliberately orders well in advance so it has vehicles available if one is damaged or fails. He also told council the city’s call volume has increased roughly 5% per year, which factors into the plan to keep spare units available.
The transcript does not record a final vote on the specific resolution to purchase the medic unit; the item was presented and discussed during the meeting but the outcome of any formal vote on the purchase is not specified in the record.
