Osage Ambulance District board members at their meeting on Oct. 20 approved the purchase of a 2010 Dodge quad-cab four-wheel-drive truck for $13,250 from Chicago Motors.

Administrator Josh Krull explained the need for a utility/multi-purpose truck has been discussed since the summer when it was difficult to transport the district’s two emergency ATVs.

“We need help from other agencies or personnel using their own vehicles to haul these ATVs to events like the Osage County Fair,” said Krull. “With this truck, we’ll be able to haul our trailer and the box will hold emergency and disaster supplies that we can take to mass-casualty scenes.”

OAD purchased a used box that is similar to the boxes put on ambulances but it’s shorter and not designed to transport anyone. OAD purchased a used EMS utility box from Pennsylvania at a cost of $3,000.

All told, the new utility vehicle will cost $16,250 and Krull said that’s a steal compared to used units he’s seen that are selling for $65,000 or more.

Currently, the vehicle and box are Moonlight Dent in Linn for minor upgrades and should be in service soon.

In other business, Krull was authorized to solicit bids for concrete work on the road leading to the helipad at Base 2.

“We held off on concreting the roadway but it needs attention and rather than adding gravel, we’re in a position to finish the road,” said Krull, who hopes to have bids for the board to consider by the Nov. 17 meeting.

* In response to an Aug. 28, request from American Medical Response (AMR), OAD sent three ambulances to assist with pre-landfall response in Gonzales, La., ahead of Hurricane Ida.

On Aug. 30, two more trucks were requested in Mississippi.

Krull noted that 19 crew members were deployed at various times for 45 days, with everyone having returned on Oct. 16. 

“We took part in a variety of missions on these deployments and everyone eventually ended up in Louisiana,” said Krull. “We were put in charge of the staging lot with about 300 ambulances at Gonzales, we evacuated nursing homes and hospitals, provided standby medical services for evacuation shelters, and provided emergency 911 services in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish areas.”

Krull added the calls to which crews responded included overdoses, shootings, and other serious injuries. “We were thrown into 10-12 calls over 12 hours,” he said.

OAD has the ability to deploy and manage several crews, and even with five of the district’s eight ambulances away for these missions, there was no decrease in local coverage.

“We’re set up for this,” said Krull. “We have invested our money in equipment and truck upgrades so we can help in cases like this.”

Crew members that deployed were paramedics Ann Bruce, Lucas Brauer, Joshua Cohen, Carrie Hickman, Kimberly Hill, Joshua Krull, Bryan Lambeth, Christopher MaGill, Stephanie McCulloch, and Jennifer Parrett, and EMT’s Roger Gerling Richie Hinz, Joey Hohner, Eli Nadler, Bernard Neidert, Ashley Perrey, Kelly Reed, Amanda Reichel, and Hannah Rothove.

“This was our longest and largest deployment since establishing our team in 2013,” said Krull. “With each deployment we have continued to grow and prove to be a dependable resource. Temporary hire EMTs and paramedics are utilized to help with these deployments in addition to OAD crew members.”

* In related news, Krull told the board that payroll in September totaling $241,945.58 was high because of the deployment. Some of that has already been reimbursed through American Medical Response’s contract with FEMA. Krull believes the remaining reimbursement will be received by the end of the month.

In his report, Krull noted that in September, the district had income of $162,493.42, of which service fees totaled $121,614.78. Expenses were reported at $320,928.01 for a net loss of $158,434.59, which will balance once reimbursements have been received. 

* The checking account balance as of Sept. 30 was $197,602.97, and the money market account balance on the same date was $374,488.15. 

* Krull reported a total of 197 calls in September, including 64 transfers, 127 emergencies, and six standbys.