Archived News Release: March 1, 2023 - The Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) has added a new vehicle to its fleet and expanded service to the community. An AAFD ambulance is now ready for dispatch, and the department is officially licensed as a basic life support transport agency by the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Division of EMS and Trauma. This allows AAFD to independently use its own fire department ambulance to respond to medical incidents and transport patients when Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA) has no units available.
In December 2022, City Council approved the allocation of $300,000 from the City of Ann Arbor's American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) allocation to purchase the ambulance, a 2022 Road Rescue Emergency Vehicles Ultramedic Ambulance on a E-450 Super Duty Ford chassis.
Six months prior, in June 2022, AAFD began supplementing transport response for patients in need of basic life support as part of a trial program with HVA. AAFD transported 31 patients during the trial, while maintaining efficient response to fire incidents. “Being able to transport patients allowed fire apparatus to clear incidents more efficiently and become available for additional calls for service sooner," explained Ann Arbor Fire Chief Mike Kennedy.
In addition, Kennedy notes the trial with HVA established AAFD's capabilities to effectively add transport service to internal operations. “While the trial program proved to not be sustainable indefinitely, the city is appreciative of HVA for this opportunity," Kennedy said, also noting this program would not have been successful without city leadership support and the partnership of IAFF Local 693.
Learn more about AAFD at www.a2gov.org/fire and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/A2fire.
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