Caleb McCluskey
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
(TNS)
Feb. 8—TUPELO — City of Tupelo officials are mulling the purchase of a “sprint” vehicle for the Tupelo Fire Department to combat a local shortage of emergency medical technicians throughout the city and county.
Fire Chief Kelly Elliott told the Tupelo City Council during a Monday afternoon work session that he planned to request approval to purchase a vehicle for the department as a “trial run” for quicker response times for medical emergencies in the city. Elliott said the vehicle would most likely be a four-wheel drive SUV.
“The state and country are in a bind with paramedics,” Elliott said, noting a smaller truck that could carry two emergency medical service-trained firefighters would cut down on mobilizing the larger fire engines, preventing wear and tear while also making response times faster.
He noted the truck could not cover the entire city. Elliot said he hopes to run at least two or three smaller trucks in the future.
Chief Operations Officer Don Lewis estimated the cost for the vehicle at between $50,000 and $55,000. The Tupelo City Council voted unanimously to amend the capital fund adding $35,000 to complete the purchase. Elliott said the next step was for the city to do a reverse bidding process.
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