Board approves purchase of 11 ambulances as Evansville prepares to offer EMS next year

The Evansville Board of Public Safety voted to approve a contract with Penn Cart Inc. for the purchase of 11 ambulances as the city prepares to begin providing emergency medical services next year.

Deputy Chief Kim Garrett told the board the department needs ambulances “for when we start providing EMS service next year” and noted lead time for build-out, decals, lights and supplies. Garrett asked for permission to approve the Penn Cart contract; the board moved, seconded and approved the purchase by voice vote.

During the same departmental report the board also approved several related items requested by the fire department: a contract with ERS Wireless for a station-alerting project, a contract with Elite (a testing company) to proctor applicant interviews, acceptance of a donation from the Evansville Firefighters Foundation for ambulance equipment, and approval to surplus older equipment and mobile computers.

Board members recorded assent to the items by motion and voice votes. The meeting record shows no dollar amounts for the ambulance contract itself; Garrett stated only the number of units (11) and that it “takes several months to get them in and get them up fitted.” A separate donation to the police department from the EPD Foundation — $10,500 to purchase a new K‑9 — was also presented and approved during departmental reports.

The board did not attach conditions or require additional reports for the ambulance procurement in the transcript excerpt. Implementation steps such as outfitting ambulances with lights, decals and supplies were discussed as routine lead-time matters rather than budget approvals.