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Community ambulance celebrates 50 years; leaders warn of aging vehicles and staffing limits
Summary
Del Rapids Community Ambulance marked its 50th anniversary, reported averaging over 600 calls a year, and warned that aging ambulances and staffing shortages are the group's primary concerns; a new ambulance was estimated at roughly $300,000–$350,000 and likely has a multi-year wait time. The agency asked for continued city support while prioritizing personnel over equipment purchases.
Representatives of the Del Rapids Community Ambulance told the council the service is celebrating its 50th anniversary and now averages “over 600 emergency calls per year.” The presenter said volunteers, paid EMTs and paramedics sustain 24/7 coverage and that a shift in recent years toward compensating on‑call staff made continuous service possible.
The ambulance representative said vehicles are aging and that replacing an ambulance will be costly: recent comparable purchases suggest a new ambulance would be “closer to 300, 350,000,” with a two‑year wait list. He emphasized the agency’s priority is staffing: ‘‘A brand new ambulance with nobody to put in isn't gonna do this community any good,’’ and noted grant funding tends to cover equipment but not staffing. The service said it tries to save when possible and keeps reserves but will likely need to plan multi‑year funding for replacement apparatus.
Councilors asked about equipment‑replacement funds and the ambulance said it attempts to set aside surplus revenues when available; the service also noted mutual‑aid call volumes and changing demand from neighboring counties affect their year‑to‑year totals. The ambulance representative invited council and the community to an open house on Aug. 17 at 2:00 p.m. at the ambulance station.
