A new red and black ambulance is on the streets, easily identifiable as one from the Pea Ridge Fire-EMS Department.
"I think what is special is the unique look -- it doesn't look like the white ambulances," Fire Chief Clint Bowen said, explaining that he wanted the personnel and city residents to be proud of the new vehicle. "That's what will set us apart from everybody else.
"The citizens of Pea Ridge can look up and see it's ours. That's one of the most special things -- look at the old ambulance, it was generic. This one has our logo, our patch -- everything down to last detail," he said. A committee of emergency personnel worked on designing the layout in the box of equipment.
"Basically, we've parked the horse and buggy and gotten our first Model A," he said.
"This is a whole different story! It was custom made for these guys," he said.
"I wanted the guys to take ownership in this department," Bowen, who became chief in January, said.
"I was able to pull some strings with some people I know -- obviously being in the business for 26 years," he said, referring to relationships he has cultivated and the ability to acquire a Braun box for the ambulance.
The old ambulance, a 2016, had more than 80,000 miles on it and had recently had several mechanical issues and could no longer be trusted to run reliably, Bowen said. The back up ambulance, a 2011 Dodge, was put back in use temporarily until the new ambulance was ready for service.
Bowen said he had hoped the 2016 could be a back up ambulance, but is no longer reliable.
"Most ambulances are rotated every 40,000 to 50,000 miles, depending on the service," Bowen said, explaining that the fast starts, long idle times at a scene and speed at which they have to be driven all wear the engine out faster than a personal vehicle.
The box from the 2016 will be reused, reconditioned and remounted, and the truck will go to the Street Department to be used for a salt truck as speed is not an issue for it.
The new ambulance is a 2023 Dodge. The Braun box is a remount, Bowen said, explaining that it is from Rogers and Pinnacle Emergency Vehicles, the company that overhauled it, completely stripped it, took out the old wiring and began again with the aluminum shell.
"That's the really expensive part," he said of the box and the benefit of being able to get a used one.
"It looks brand new. All the components are brand new," Bowen said.
The new ambulance cost the city $223,400.
"When I came into this position, they needed an ambulance and it was very obvious," he said. "What makes this thing so unique is that we were able to come in, tell mayor and City Council they do need it and this (the previous budget allowance) was not enough money. The city administration was able to still make this happen."
He said if he had ordered an ambulance now, it would take three to four years to receive, but because he was able to get the box from the Rogers Fire Department, he was able to get this happen now.
The old ambulance is in the back yard, broken down.
"It would have been devastating" if there had not been a resource to replace it, he said. The one he found was at Pinnacle and was spoken for, but thanks to his networking and relationships already established, he was able to get it.
"It's unheard of (to get the ambulance done so quickly). It shouldn't happen, these guys jumped through hoops for us," he said. "It's very humbling -- to have a City Council and a mayor knowing our needs."
"Our ambulance is a big staple right here," Bowen said. There have already been more than 640 medical runs this year. "Obviously that averages almost three a day. That's a vital piece of emergency equipment.
"That's making a difference in the lives, the health, the outcome of three individuals every day," he said.
The ambulance is used on 70 to 80% of the calls that come into the Pea Ridge Fire-EMS Department.
"What we do every day -- it's that ambulance, by far," Bowen said.
He plans to ask for a second ambulance for next year and said the money is available thanks to the city's 1-cent sales tax.
"In realization that we have to have a Station 2 some day, we'll need to buy all new stuff so when we can get some of it done now, we should," he said. "Build as you go -- start chipping away at the needs."