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Sirens blared at the annual Fall Festival as Hughes County EMS celebrated the newest ambulance addition to the fleet. Over a year since the Hughes County EMS Bond was renewed the agency presented to the public an ambulance that celebrates our county history. “The community has been so supportive of Hughes County EMS, and the EMS Bond, that we had to give back in our support” said Director Kristy Lashbrook. The truck is a 2020 Ford F350, and while smaller than the other ambulances, Kristy advised that there has been a nationwide shortage of ambulance chassis and they had to jump onto what was available. Board of Trustee President Tommy Taylor added, “We had to look at having a backup unit, due to supply issues on parts and even chassis, our ambulances are out of service for longer periods of time, due to maintenance. Having this unit will alleviate that kind of strain on the EMS System.” The ambulance features several safety improvements to benefit staff and patients, internal roll cage, crash tested restraint systems, roll over protection, and all metal construction. Paramedic Supervisor Pat Sherwood gave a glimpse into the truck’s new lighting system that’s on the cutting edge of technology, “It does what’s considered DVI – which is Dynamic Variable Intensity – so at nighttime it’ll recognize how much UV (ultraviolet) light is actually being emitted. And with that it’ll automatically dim the lights when we go into park or when we’re driving at night. The truck also features four-wheel drive, liquid spring suspension for a smoother ride, as well as an electric cot load feature that can hold up to 800 pounds.
