City of New Bedford Upgrades Ambulance Fleet

New Bedford, Massachusetts – The City of New Bedford’s Department of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)has upgraded its ambulance fleet with the addition of four new, state-of-the-art ambulances. The new trucks will greatly enhance EMS’s ability to respond to the public’s emergency needs.

The first ambulance, a 2021 Ford Osage, will operate out of the south-end public safety building on Brock Avenue. The second ambulance, a 2021 Cord Braun, will operate out of EMS headquarters on Hillman Street.

The third and fourth ambulances, both 2021 Ford 550s, will operate out of Fire Station 9 on Ashley Boulevard and out of Fire Station 5 on Acushnet Avenue. Each ambulance includes a Power-Load Stryker, which is an automatic stretcher that will take away the manual labor of lifting the stretcher and will help to reduce back injuries.

“These new ambulances and automatic stretchers will greatly enhance EMS’s ability to respond to residents in need as well as help to reduce work-related injuries among our first responders,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.

“These new ambulances have allowed us to replace four older front-line trucks and put us in a great position for the future when responding to emergency calls,” said EMS Director Michael Thomas.

The combined cost for all four vehicles is $1,180,000, The EMS Department has a total of 9 ambulances in its fleet. Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services equipment, and vehicles have been identified as top funding priorities for the City of New Bedford in the biennial Capital Needs Assessment in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP is the City’s first long-term plan developed to address the facilities and equipment needs of city government.