According to Michelle Mayle, an Emergency Medical Technician with the squad, the new ambulance will help ensure that the first responders will be able to make to more rural areas of the county. "This is our second four-wheel drive unit that we have purchased, which will be put into our fleet rotation to better serve the residents and guests of Taylor County," she noted. "Winters can be harsh here, making roads harder and more dangerous to travel. The addition of a second four-wheel drive truck will make it easier for us to reach patients in a safer manner and will allow us to travel on roads that some of our other units wouldn't be able to pass." The truck, a brand-new Chevrolet 3500 Frontline Box Ambulance, has been outfitted with custom built cabinets, and sports the new logo and design of the Taylor County EMS.

The unit will serve the area starting April 1. The truck won’t have a set location, but will shift based upon need in the area. It will operate between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.  

This is the second ambulance in about a month to be added to Berkeley County. In its 2017-2018 budget, Berkeley County Council accounted for four new ambulances to be added to the department.

According to District Chief Paul Raisch with the Dayton Fire Department, the Lieutenant was on her way to a fire call on Malvern Avenue when she was hit in the intersection of Washington and Main. Raisch said the Lieutenant had her lights and sirens on and had a green light, when the other driver ran a red light, hitting the SUV in the front driver's side.

The equipment is the latest in fire service technology and will add a higher level of protection for our personnel, which ultimately enhances the safety and survival of our residents.  

The savings to the community of Simmesport is $82,667.

Three years ago, however, the City of Hillsdale ran out of space for the truck, and sold it off to a fire truck collector. In January of this year, that collector decided that the truck no longer fit the theme of his collection and has offered to sell the Seagrave to the Historical Society.  

Given that used cars routinely retail for more than $10,000, Tony Fowler, and his daugher Kathy— who started the GoFundMe— said they feel that the current asking price is a steal, especially given the fact that a significant portion of the money raised will be used to repair the floor of the building the truck will be stored in.