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Warren County EMS loses ambulance to fire; loaner secured, MOU and liability questions remain
Summary
An ambulance suffered severe fire and smoke damage while responding to a call; staff salvaged about $150,000 in equipment and have a loaner ambulance but said insurance and an MOU will determine replacement steps and liability. Commissioners asked for clearer mutual-aid language and assurances on dispatch and vehicle housing.
An ambulance serving Warren County caught fire while responding to a call on County Road 63, leaving the cab and patient compartment heavily damaged and likely a total loss, county staff said.
Speaker 4, who described the incident to the board, said smoke appeared in the cab while the crew was responding and black smoke and structural heat damage followed. "We saved estimated probably a $150,000 worth of equipment out of that," Speaker 4 said, but added that the vehicle’s box and cabinetry were badly smoke‑ and heat‑damaged. The manufacturer told staff the remount and repairs could run roughly "90% of the cost of the new build," the presenter said.
The county has a loaner ambulance from a neighboring agency to maintain service, staff said, and the state registration for that unit was transferred. "Insurance is already aware of the loan," Speaker 4 said, but added that whether the damaged vehicle is formally declared a total loss remains an insurer determination. Speaker 4 warned the department is "in a very volatile position" because of multiple trucks with mechanical issues and said the county is exploring options: waiting for insurer direction, ordering a new stock unit quickly, or pursuing a remount if feasible.
Commissioners raised procedural and liability questions about an existing mutual‑aid or loaner agreement. Speaker 7 asked whether the MOU should specify who signs on behalf of each agency and where the vehicle would be housed if Warren County EMS keeps it locally. "I think you need to put something in there to that effect, and then clarify that we're using Warren County dispatch for calls on that particular truck while it's being used here," Speaker 7 said, urging explicit language covering mass‑casualty events and notifications to ensure the county can recover or replace the unit if needed.
The board asked staff to obtain firm insurance guidance, cost estimates for available stock units or remounts, and to review or revise the MOU to spell out housing, dispatch responsibility and priority in case of competing needs. No formal replacement purchase was authorized during the meeting; staff said they would await insurance confirmation and provide cost options if a total loss is declared.
Next steps: staff will follow up with the insurer for a total‑loss determination, request clearer MOU language spelling out vehicle housing and dispatch responsibilities, and return cost and timing estimates for replacement or remount options.
