Crescent Springs discusses new ambulance purchase and 10-year equipment-lease proposal

Crescent Springs City Council received an update April 22 from its Fire Authority on plans to replace an aging ambulance and options to manage costly on-board equipment.

The Fire Authority reported a vendor quote of roughly $375,000 for a new ambulance and said the purchase will follow the state fair-bid procurement the city uses; bids are due May 20 and will be opened at the Fire Authority meeting, the representative said. The authority also presented a proposal from Striker to cover the department’s cots, heart monitors and other lifesaving equipment under a 10-year, maintenance-free lease program estimated at about $125,000 per year.

Fire Authority staff emphasized the high unit cost of several items: the cot alone was cited at about $10,000 and a state-required lift system at roughly $110,000. The Striker package would spread replacements and maintenance over a decade, with more frequent replacement cycles for some items; the authority said a subcommittee will evaluate lease-versus-buy scenarios before any budget action.

The council was told the Striker proposal is not included in the current fiscal year budget and that staff will continue investigating whether leasing or outright purchase provides better value and readiness. No formal council vote or appropriation was taken at the April 22 meeting; procurement next steps were described as soliciting competitive bids and returning with analysis to the Fire Authority and council where necessary.

Why it matters: Ambulance replacement and equipment decisions affect emergency response capacity and recurring operating costs for the city. Spreading equipment replacement through a service contract could reduce near-term capital spending but commit the city to a long-term payment stream, officials said.

The Fire Authority indicated the procurement timeline and potential contract structure but did not recommend a final funding source or schedule at the meeting.