Staff Writer The Urbana Fire Division has received up to $350,500 in vehicle and equipment upgrades thanks to local, state and federal funding. Chief Mark Keller said the city recently approved plans for the fire division to purchase a new $250,000 ambulance.
The new ambulance will replace a used ambulance the fire division purchased years ago that has air brakes that have the potential to be hazardous when transporting patients.
The fire division also recently received a $60,500 grant from the Department of Homeland Security for new rescue tools.
Firefighters received new spreaders, cutters, an air bag system, a new power cot and cribbing, which provide temporary support during rescue operations.
“We do about 120 car wrecks per year. Maybe about a quarter of those we actually have to cut somebody out of a car. But of course when we do, our experience has been we really need to do some extensive work to try to get these people cut out,” Keller said.