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Cheshire County to repurpose ARPA funds, replace aging ambulances with two Type 3 units
Summary
Commissioners directed the EMS chief to alter a Greenwood order: cancel a $431,000 bariatric ambulance and buy two Type 3 ambulances (about $220,000 each), with up to $10,000 extra. Officials said the change improves reliability, saves about $64,800 a year and preserves ARPA funds.
Cheshire County commissioners on Wednesday directed the county EMS chief to work with Greenwood to replace a planned specialized bariatric ambulance with two standard Type 3 ambulances, using ARPA funds already committed to the bariatric unit and authorizing up to $10,000 in additional county funds.
Captain Kevin Cummings, fleet manager for Cheshire County EMS, told commissioners the service’s call mix has shifted since the county bought six ambulances with ARPA money: about 65% of calls are emergency responses and only 35% are interfacility transfers. He said the county has not yet encountered a situation that required the dedicated bariatric vehicle Wheeled Coach was building and that local partners — Keene Fire and Great Brook Ambulance Service — can provide bariatric capacity on request at no cost to the county.
Cummings said the county spent $431,000 in ARPA funds on the bariatric order but proposed reallocating those funds to buy two Type 3 chassis and bodies priced at about $220,000 each. He estimated replacing the county’s high‑mileage, unreliable units (ambulances 2 and 3) with two Type 3s would reduce operating costs and improve reliability. Cummings provided per‑mile cost figures from county records: ambulance 2 at about $0.98 per mile, ambulance 3 at $0.84 per mile and ambulance 1 at $0.37 per mile; he projected roughly $64,800 in annual savings based on current mileage patterns.
County staff described options to remount existing modules onto new chassis for future cost savings, noted stock units are slated for delivery in November 2025, and said most equipment (monitors, stretchers, auto‑load systems) would be transferred rather than repurchased.
Motion and vote: a motion read aloud asked the board to direct the chief to work with Greenwood to alter the agreement to two Type 3 ambulances, accept expected delivery in November 2025, cancel the bariatric order, and limit additional county expenditure to no more than $10,000. The motion was seconded; the three commissioners present voted yes. The motion also authorized the chief to sign final documents on behalf of the county.
Why it matters: County officials said the change better matches the EMS system’s current needs, improves provider safety by increasing interior space and 360° access in Type 3 boxes, and reduces long‑term maintenance risk posed by older, high‑mileage vehicles.
Next steps: County staff will finalize the revision with Greenwood, arrange transfer or remount of equipment from older units as needed, and incorporate the change into the capital‑replacement plan so future purchases can be spaced out.
Representative quotes: "Replacement bariatric ambulance with 2 fully functional Type 3 ambulances will significantly enhance our ability to meet the demands of our communities while maintaining fiscal responsibility," Captain Kevin Cummings said. The motion language was read into the record by a county staff member; commissioners voted unanimously in favor.
