CLEAR LAKE – The Clear Lake City Council approved the purchase of a new ambulance at this week’s regular meeting.
According to City Administrator Scott Flory, the council approved the purchase of a 2014 model with a truck chassis and 2-wheel drive. The ambulance will cost $158,000.
According to city documents, since November of 2009, the City’s Fire Department has operated and maintained a fleet of three ambulances. This past fall, one of those three (a 1995 unit
that was purchased in 2005 for $25,000) was taken out of service because of operational issues and was sold as scrap to a local junk yard for approximately $2,200. This has left the Department with a 2013 unit and a 2000 unit that was purchased in used condition from the City of Garner in 2009 for $20,000.
Fire Chief Doug Meyers asked for the Council’s consideration to expedite the purchase of the additional new ambulance. This new unit would serve, along with the 2013 model, as the primary service units and also provide for a more reliable backup.
The estimated value of the 2000 unit, with roughly 100,000 miles is negligible, but the Department
would like to maintain it until it is no longer economically feasible to do so.
