Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Procurement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pulaski County weighs remounts, new ambulances and a new captain as lead times and costs bite
Summary
Pulaski County’s EMS staff and vendor told the council and commissioners that new ambulances face long lead times and higher costs, presenting remounts and payment plans as alternatives; the boards discussed a hospital donation for a service evaluation and a proposed third-captain hire to reduce overtime.
Pulaski County officials heard detailed options for replacing aging ambulances and discussed short-term staffing changes to stabilize emergency medical services.
Natasha, an EMS operations leader, introduced the county’s replacement plan and brought Justin Granberg of McQueen to answer technical and pricing questions. Granberg said new-vehicle lead times remain long—he estimated about 30 months from order to delivery for new chassis—and cited remount options that can reduce cost and turnaround time. "Remounts once in intake average about 120 to 150 days before the truck is back in service," Granberg said. He gave a price comparison: "A new truck similar to what Pulaski County would be using could run about $260,000 to $270,000. If you remounted that truck in 4 or 5 years, your cost would be about $225,000 at current pricing," producing roughly a 20–30% saving per remount cycle.
County officials and EMS staff also discussed fleet condition. Several existing modules were described as too old or too rusty to remount; diesel chassis availability and past low‑cost remount work by other vendors contributed to reliability concerns. Natasha said one new ambulance expected before the end of the month should replace a 2013 unit, and another unit currently on order shows a June 2026 completion date. Commissioners noted one vehicle order was canceled and pushed to a later year, which will extend the service life of several older units.
Funding and procurement options came up repeatedly. Natasha and other staff discussed payment plans, leasing options and third‑party financing available through vendors. The board also discussed using federal ARPA funding to pay for the 2026 purchase and a possible $10,000 donation from the local hospital to underwrite a feasibility survey or evaluation of EMS services.
On staffing, Natasha proposed adding a third captain to handle day‑to‑day supervisory tasks (estimated additional cost $4,141.60), which she said would speed billing and reduce overtime. Several commissioners said they would support hiring if the feasibility study and billing‑process improvements justify the new position. One commissioner warned that once positions are implemented, it can be hard to rescind them if a study later suggests different staffing needs.
Next steps: the county will proceed with the feasibility/evaluation conversation (including the potential hospital donation), accept the arriving ambulance, and continue to weigh remount versus new‑build strategies while monitoring delivery timelines.
