HomeMy WebLinkAbout07K Ambulance Purchase
City of
Cottage Grove
Minnesota
To: Jennifer Levitt, City Administrator
Robin Roland, Finance Director
From: Rick Redenius, Fire Chief
Date: May 13, 2020
Subject: AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 2020 DODGE AMBULANCE
INTRODUCTION
The Public Safety Division has been researching and planning to replace our current 2014
Chevrolet ambulance. This process started in 2019, with several fire department members and
public works employees working to start to standardize our ambulance fleet to better serve our
customers and provide a product to withstand the demands of emergency response.
In late 2019 the council approved the 2020 EMS Enterprise Fund Budget which authorized the
purchase of a new ambulance for approximately $223,000 dollars. Since then the country has
experienced a pandemic not seen in over 100 years. This pandemic has impacted our
purchase in several ways. When the automaker plants were forced to close it shut down the
building of ambulance chassis. This meant that there was only a short supply of available
chassis available to potential buyers. In a recent check of available chassis by our ambulance
manufacturer it was found that there were only three chassis left across the U.S. but within a
weeks’ time those chassis were no longer available.
DISCUSSION
Cottage Grove has long been the EMS provider for our area. Over the years, our service has
changed in many ways. From EMS care and equipment used, to the responding personnel, we
have strived to stay ahead of the curve and provide the best service possible to our customers,
with the latest equipment for our staff.
In 2018, we moved forward with a change in emergency response equipment. The ambulance
build that was originally the long-used van style chassis was replaced by a pickup truck style
chassis. Many departments, including ours, moved in this direction as it affords several
benefits, which includes a heavy-duty chassis that can handle the weight of the patient box
area, the continued use of a patient Powerload System, and being more adapted to handle the
rigors of emergency driving.
The pickup style chassis was recommended by our City Public Works mechanics. They
believe the repair costs of the unit can be lessened because the chassis is more capable of
handling the stressors put on the braking system, suspension, drivetrain, and engine. With the
purchase of our 2018 Dodge Chassis, we have experienced almost no issues in the afore
mentioned problem areas, which is why we would like to keep with this style of chassis.
We have been on an eight-year rotation of ambulances for many years. In recent years, our
call loads have increased significantly, causing our fleet to accrue miles at a much more rapid
pace than in years past. The increase in wear and tear is causing the fleet to become more
dependent on repairs and down time rather than time in service. This also reinforces the need
to re-evaluate the style of ambulance we had previously purchased.
The ambulance we will be looking to replace is a 2014 Chevrolet 4500 Ultramedic Type 3
Ambulance chassis. The information below is the maintenance and repair history for this
ambulance from its purchase date in 2014 to May 7, 2020.
2014 - $1,496
2015 - $7,815
2016 - $3,982
2017 - $9,293
2018 - $18,127
2019 - $8,558
2020 - $6,243 so far
Total = $55,514
We are currently recommending replacement with a Dodge 5500 Ultramedic Type 1
Ambulance from Everest Emergency Vehicles.
BUDGET IMPACT
The new ambulance was budgeted at a cost of $223,000 in 2020 based on a 2018 quote.
Since that time, due to tariffs and the recent supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic
our cost estimate has increased to $233,000.
Currently, our ambulance manufacturer says to expect the ambulance build process to take 12
months. If we are unable to get a chassis until 2021, a build would not begin until March 2021
with a rough delivery date of March 2022.
If an agreement to purchase an ambulance is approved now, a chassis may be available by
the end of 2020, if the auto plants open in a timely fashion. Even if approved now, delivery
would not be until the middle to end of 2021, which is when the payment would be due.
RECOMMENDATION
Request authorization to purchase a Dodge 5500 Ultramedic Type 1 Ambulance from Everest
Emergency Vehicles at an estimated cost of $233,000. Upon delivery, we would sell the 2014
Chevrolet ambulance.
CC: Peter Koerner, Director of Public Safety