News

New rig for Bottineau Ambulance Service

Scott Wagar

12/27/2011

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The Bottineau Ambulance Service has acquired a new ambulance, which will assist its members in providing better care for the individuals they are caring for during emergencies in the Bottineau area.

Luann Soland, the president of the Bottineau Ambulance Service Board, stated the ambulance service needed a new ambulance, because the rig which was replaced was getting too old to continue maintenance on.  

“The new ambulance is a Type I ambulance with four wheel drive,” Soland said. “We needed to replace the oldest rig, which was a ‘96 model.  The emergency lights on the front didn’t work and we couldn’t get them to work anymore. There was also some wiring issue in the patient compartment, which didn’t allow the lighting to work correctly.

“The ‘96 model used to be Willow City’s ambulance, which when that service closed, the ambulance came to Bottineau and was used if a Bottineau County service ambulance was out-of-service for whatever reason,” Soland added.

The new ambulance cost $133,150 and was funded by money which was left over from North Central Electric’s USDA Revolving Fund Loan, along with memorials and donations from supporters of the ambulance service.

Besides the Type I ambulance with four wheel drive, Bottineau Ambulance Service also has a Type I ambulance which is four wheel drive and a Type Three rig.

When it comes to ambulances, there are three different types of vehicles, which includes:

  •  Type I – consists of a box-shaped passenger compartment mounted on a truck-style chassis.
  •  Type II – is a van-style vehicle with a raised roof and an extended rear compartment.
  •  Type III – is a modular box, as found in Type I ambulance, but it is mounted on a van chassis.


Soland stated the Bottineau Ambulance Services is pleased with the new ambulance.

“We are excited to have it,” she said. “It will help us greatly as we conduct emergency response to the local area.”

The Bottineau Ambulance Service is looking for volunteer EMTs and ambulance drivers. Individuals interested in volunteering, can contact Art Lund at (701) 228-3005.