Polk County Emergency Management Agency has big plans for a new ambulance donated earlier this week.
AdventHealth Redmond EMS turned over a ambulance recently retired from their fleet to Emergency Management officials on Monday, June 3, providing the keys and title to a vehicle that will soon be utilized as a Mobile Command Post for the agency.
EMA Coordinator Landon Hendrix reported that the plans for the new vehicle are to utilize it during emergency situations and disasters to coordinate officials on the ground, and have a dry space to communicate with the outside world.
“We’re extremely grateful to AdventHealth Redmond EMS for the donation and will be able to provide a greater amount of support in the field during times where we are responding to disasters and major emergencies,” Hendrix said.
It’ll house radio systems, and upward of five people in the back area at one time. A tent is also planned to include on the command post to expand a covered area available for EMA use when necessary on scenes of disasters and emergencies.
Hendrix noted that the EMA will not have to do too much conversion work on the ambulance. They’ll be adding a table in the back, putting new decals on the vehicle and have to install radio equipment within but otherwise won’t have to make many modifications.
A mobile command post has been one of the items on the EMA’s list of needs for many years. Plans in the past included at one point converting a Polk School District bus for a mobile command center during a previous administration, as well as purchasing a used mobile command center and update it in-house.
The new ambulance-based command center will also provide some field support roles, Hendrix said, during responses to a variety of situations.
Marty Robinson – who in his day job is the head of AdventHealth Redmond EMS’ regional operations in Polk and Floyd counties – said that his organization is happy to be able to help Polk County EMA fill this needed void in their operational capacity.
“When we have the opportunity to help agencies in our operations area, we are glad to be able to be good neighbors and provide an ambulance that has done its fair share of work already savings to continue in that role in a new capacity,” Robinson said.
AdventHealth Redmond EMS also recently donated to the Polk County College and Career Academy for their program training future paramedics that hopefully will one day go onto work for the organization.
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