LOWELL -- Ambulance service will be quicker as the city moves forward with its own service, Fire Department officials said.
The city received its first ambulance last week, said fire Capt. Jason Elam. The $187,500 vehicle will begin service Jan. 1, he said.
Springdale has provided ambulance service to Lowell since 1968 but has decided to stop service outside its limits at the end of the year.
The ambulance Lowell purchased was designed to provide safety standards fire officials wanted, Elam said. Those standards include bright lights to help ambulance drivers see on rural roads.
Flashing lights also were added to the inside of the ambulance's back doors, Elam said. The lights will help drivers see the ambulance if the doors are open, he said. Airbags also were added. The ambulance was built by Horton Emergency Vehicles in Ohio, Elam said.
The city plans to hire three paramedics and three emergency medical technicians, Elam said. The city now staffs one paramedic and two emergency medical technicians on each shift, Elam said.
"This will definitely be a benefit to our patients," Elam said. "The ambulance has to come out from Springdale to pick them up now."
Kevin McDonald, Springdale Fire Department assistant chief, said it can take 15 to 18 minutes for the department to respond to calls in some parts of Lowell.
"The fact is they are putting service in their area," McDonald said. "It is only going to enhance the EMS care they are giving."
Springdale decided to stop providing the service because it has seen a boost in calls in recent years, McDonald said. The department has responded to 8,000 calls this year. Calls have been increasing by 600 to 700 every year, he said.
"When we started evaluating it we realized we needed more ambulances," McDonald said.
The cost of purchasing, equipping and hiring personal to staff new ambulances outweighed payments coming from cities Springdale provides service to, McDonald said.
Springdale also has provided service to Bethel Heights, Tontitown, Johnson and unincorporated areas of Benton County.
Lowell Fire Chief Michael Morris said the city will pay Springdale $158,000 for service in 2015. Costs can vary from year to year depending on the number of calls Springdale responds to.
Lowell plans to spend about $200,000 to renovate the main fire station near City Hall to accommodate additional staff for the ambulance, Morris said. Another $300,000 will be spent for salaries and benefits of the employees. About $90,000 is needed to equip the ambulance, he said.
It will take some time for Lowell to recoup the costs for the ambulance, Elam said. Hopefully, over time, it will be cheaper than paying Springdale for service, he said.
NW News on 08/27/2015