Six diesel ambulances with systemic exhaust problems have sickened Sacramento firefighters enough to send them to local emergency rooms as patients, the firefighters union and city said Friday. The city of Sacramento has removed those ambulances from the firefighting fleet and is planning to replace another eight units that may develop a similar problem.
Until new ambulances arrive, which could take months, the city has "borrowed" two units from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, which covers areas of Sacramento County outside the city, and will rely on a resource-sharing agreement with that agency to fill gaps in service caused by the lack of ambulances, said acting Sacramento Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin.
Since January 2014, firefighters have complained about the six diesel-powered ambulances manufactured by Ford that have had exhaust enter both the driving compartment and the rear passenger area at times, according to Fire Department spokesman Chris Harvey. The issue was discovered when firefighters complained about a diesel smell when riding in the units.
The smell has sent some firefighters - up to 10 in recent weeks - to emergency rooms to be evaluated for carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 union spokesman Roberto Padilla.
Prior to the recent rash of possible exposures, the department had "less than 10" firefighters report feeling sick from the smell from February 2014 through November 2016, Augustin said.