Buying a new ambulance isn’t going to be a simple process, Allen County commissioners learned this week.
That’s because supply chain issues have made for a lengthy wait to receive the units, Terry Call told them. He retired as the county’s EMS and zoning director, but returned part-time to handle zoning issues.
Call researched ambulance options after Michael Burnett, Iola’s EMS director, gave a report about equipment needs a couple of weeks ago. Under the terms of a new contract between the city and county, commissioners agreed to provide ambulances and associated equipment.
It likely will be more than a year — maybe even well into 2026 — before the county could receive a new ambulance, even if they ordered one now, Call said.
It’s a widespread problem and some agencies are ordering two at once simply because of the delays, he said.
There is another possible option, Call said. Another county ordered two units by mistake. Allen County could claim the other one and maybe receive it next year.
It’s not actually a full-sized ambulance but rather a smaller “transfer unit,” Call said. It’s a Ford Transit outfitted with EMS equipment and would be a good option for hospital-to-hospital transfers, Call said. It also would cost about half the price of a typical ambulance, about $140,000 compared to around $300,000.
Purchasing that type of unit could extend the life of the larger ambulances, Call said.
Commissioners asked him to continue to research the matter.
Landfill fire
Fire crews battled a blaze at the Allen County Regional Landfill on July 28, Public Works Director Mitch Garner reported.
The fire was under control within a couple of hours. The cause is not known, but Garner suspects it could be a lithium battery.
Most landfill fires are caused by one of three things, he said: Lithium batteries, rural residents dumping “burn barrels” with hot coals, and discarded fireworks. Landfill workers try to make sure burn barrels don’t have hot coals when they are dumped, but it doesn’t take much to start a fire.
Lithium batteries are another matter. Though dumping such batteries isn’t allowed, it’s impossible for landfill workers to know when they are thrown into the trash. Such batteries are in a number of products, including toys, and many residents discard those items without removing dangerous batteries.
On Friday, a landfill worker saw smoke rising from the trash pile. Crews responded from LaHarpe, Moran, Iola and Allen County Rural fire departments, as well as county emergency management leaders.
A contractor working to open a new cell at the landfill also used his crews to help fight the fire, Garner said.
Landfill fires can be dangerous because the trash pile creates methane gas, which could burn “forever” if ignited. A fire also could release toxic chemicals.
