Fire department buys new ambulance chassis outright instead of financing it

What happened

The Terre Haute Board of Public Works and Safety approved buying a new chassis (the truck frame and drivetrain, before the ambulance box is mounted) for the fire department, paying for it outright rather than financing it. (4:42) A Fire Department representative told the board this repeats last year's approach — buying a chassis directly instead of financing it — which saved the department an estimated $30,000 to $40,000; the still-usable ambulance box from an older truck will be refurbished and mounted on the new chassis. (5:20) The department will ask the board separately for financing to pay for that box. (5:44)

The outcome

Approved on a voice vote; no per-member tally was recorded.

Sources

• Chassis purchase introduced, 4:42
• Estimated savings from buying outright, 5:20
• Box financing to come back later, 5:44
• Voice vote approval, 6:14

Also known as: fire department ambulance chassis · ambulance refurbishment program · special detail ambulance · Terre Haute Fire Department chassis purchase