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Martins Ferry EMS asks council to cover early payments on $19,060 maintenance plan after equipment failures
Summary
An EMS representative told council a hydraulic self-load system purchased in January 2025 has required multiple service calls and one in-service failure; she asked the city to cover the first two years of a $19,060, five-year maintenance contract while the squad pays the remainder.
Mary, an EMS representative, told the Martins Ferry City Council on April 15 that a hydraulic self-loading system purchased in January 2025 for the city’s frontline ambulance has required repeated service visits and failed during a recent rainstorm, forcing crews to transfer a patient to an older unit.
She said the vendor quoted a five-year maintenance agreement totaling $19,060, with annual payments of $3,812. Mary asked the council to pay the first two annual payments from the general fund and for the ambulance squad to assume the final three years, saying the unit’s heavy use made preventative maintenance necessary. “We’re using that system quite a bit,” she told council, noting 1,476 emergencies in December and 407 emergencies so far this year.
Council members pressed for payment options and possible discounts. Mr. Ashman said he would ask the vendor whether the city could pay all five years up front for a discount or arrange monthly payments to ease the budget impact. The mayor and council discussed whether a multi-year payment plan could reduce the near-term burden.
Councilmember Mr. Fram moved to refer the matter to the safety committee for a recommendation; the council agreed and asked the committee to meet with Mary and return a recommendation at the next council meeting. The safety committee will meet in conjunction with the finance meeting to look at payment options and any potential discount for prepayment.
The council recorded no formal vote on funding during the April 15 meeting; the safety committee will report back with options and a recommendation.
