A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 66F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..
Clear skies with a few passing clouds. Low near 45F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Pictured (front row) is Cathy Zimmerman, Fox Twp. Ambulance secretary; Scott Surra, Fox Twp. fire chief; and Jerry Zimmerman, Fox Twp. Ambulance manager. In the back row is Kathy Dowie, president of Fox Twp. Volunteer Fire Department and treasurer of Fox Twp. Ambulance and Jamie Dowie, trustee of Fox Twp. Volunteer Fire Dept. and emergency responder for Fox Twp. Ambulance.
Pictured is the secured fire rescue skid.
Pictured (front row) is Cathy Zimmerman, Fox Twp. Ambulance secretary; Scott Surra, Fox Twp. fire chief; and Jerry Zimmerman, Fox Twp. Ambulance manager. In the back row is Kathy Dowie, president of Fox Twp. Volunteer Fire Department and treasurer of Fox Twp. Ambulance and Jamie Dowie, trustee of Fox Twp. Volunteer Fire Dept. and emergency responder for Fox Twp. Ambulance.
Pictured is the secured fire rescue skid.
KERSEY — Fox Township Ambulance Service and Fox Township Firemen recently purchased a new side-by-side rescue vehicle to be used in places that would be inaccessible for an ambulance or a fire truck. Act 10 COVID relief grant funds were available for EMS services, so the ambulance service purchased the unit itself, then partnered with the firemen to store it in the garage with the firetrucks.
Both entities will be able to use it, as it can be pulled on a trailer behind a firetruck. Proceeds from the Firemen’s Social Hall activities paid for two skid units that can be interchanged in the back of the side-by-side, making it useful for both organizations. One skid unit has a patient litter and a seat for an ambulance attendant, along with an IV pole and an oxygen tank for patient care and extraction out of wooded areas. The other skid unit has an 80-gallon water tank, pump, and hose for fighting smaller brush fires in areas that a firetruck can’t access. Each skid unit slides out and can be changed as the occasion warrants.
Kathy Dowie, president of the Fox Township Firemen and treasurer of the Fox Township Ambulance Association, commented that, “There has been a huge increase in people with outdoor recreation vehicles, ATVs and even bicycles. We get more and more people coming here from urban areas, so obviously all of that adds to a greater need for something like this new side-by-side for rescue and fire situations.”
Fox Township Fire Chief Scott Surra added, “It’s great to be prepared for anything, but actually our hope is that it just sits here and collects dust.” Before the purchase of the vehicle and adaptive skids, neighboring rescue teams had to be summoned for some situations.
According to Off-Road Atlas, more and more manufacturers are developing side-by-sides that are equipped for fire and rescue. They come equipped with emergency light bars and sirens and are making a huge difference in response time and lives saved.
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