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Commission authorizes bids for three ambulances as fleet nears replacement thresholds
Summary
Butler County authorized staff to request bids for two Type III and one Type II ambulances to maintain its nine-vehicle EMS fleet amid long production lead times for box-style units; staff cited average annual mileage of about 30,000 and replacement life near 5.5 years.
Butler County commissioners on June 16 voted unanimously to let staff solicit manufacturer bids for two Type III (box) ambulances and one Type II (van) ambulance as part of the county's Capital Improvement Plan.
Scott Stueven, EMS Assistant Director, told the Board the standard fleet is nine ambulances (six front-line, three reserves) and staff tracks mileage, age and maintenance costs to set a replacement cadence. He said the average annual mileage for EMS ambulances is about 30,000 and a typical service life is roughly 5.5 years. Stueven warned that long manufacturer backlogs mean ordering now could delay delivery until 2029 for some box models; Osage Manufacturing agreed to queue the county for delivery of box units in 2028 if bids are approved.
Frank Williams, EMS Director, provided operational context, saying each ambulance receives an average of one call per hour, which supports the need to maintain front-line capacity. Commissioner Kelly Herzet moved to authorize staff to request bids from Osage Manufacturing for two Type III and one Type II ambulance; Commissioner Darren Jackson seconded and the motion carried 5-0.
The approved bid request is intended to keep the fleet on a predictable replacement cadence to avoid escalating maintenance costs and to position the county for potential future service expansion.
