BCH Orders Two New Ambulances

Boone County Hospital (BCH) is excited to announce we have ordered two new ambulances to better serve our patients and the communities that we serve.  The new ambulances will replace two of our oldest units from 2003 and 2007 while maintaining our fleet of four ambulances.

Mikaela Kienitz, BCH’s CEO stated, “Patient and staff safety are at the forefront of our decision making and at this time, we feel that purchasing two ambulances will position the hospital’s EMS service in the best possible situation to care for patients throughout the county.” In addition, Kienitz adds, “BCH is committed to maintaining and providing an excellent ambulance service to our communities.”

Our ambulances get a lot of use which leads to increased mileage and wear and tear on the units. Our current fleet of ambulances have very high miles, ranging from 130K miles on our newest unit to over 400K miles on our oldest.  As the ambulances have aged, they have also required more service leading to added costs.

According to BCH Ambulance Director, Mark Addy, “One of the most important features of the new ambulances is the Power Load Stretchers that allow the stretchers to be loaded onto the ambulances with the push of a button.  This is a big safety feature and should aid to mitigate back injuries. New ambulances and equipment are a positive indicator in staff satisfaction and help with recruitment and retention of qualified EMS staff.”

The Board of Trustees approved the cost of the two ambulances at $280,000 each at the Board meeting in February.  The current expected wait time for the ambulances is 24 to 48 months.  We are happy to continue providing such an important service to our community and look forward to having reliable vehicles that will offer the latest technology for our patients and staff.