The Houghton Volunteer Fire Department is in the process of buying a new ambulance, an expensive purchase, but one the department considers necessary.
The fire department’s emergency medical service has close ties with the Houghton community. Of its fifty members, a majority are students. Access to an ambulance service is both reassuring for parents and students as well as required for some equestrian and sporting events. According to Mae Stadelmaier, graduate of the class of 2009, ambulance captain and president of the fire department, we “offer the best standard of care possible… not only for the community but also for the college”.
The new ambulance, which has already been ordered and is currently being manufactured, will be financed to pay for the $160,000 purchase price. Stadelmaier said that it will hopefully be ready for use by June. Currently, the fire department is using a loaner ambulance due to the mechanical problems of the department’s former, much older ambulance.
Ray Parlett, director of security on campus, stated that those mechanical problems are the major reason that the fire department is seeking to replace it. Parlett has been a volunteer for about twenty-five total years, over a period of time since the 1980s, and has been a firefighter as well as an ambulance driver over the years.
In the past few years there have been “some expensive repairs” to fix a variety of problems. One year ago the ambulance needed a “new rear transaxle” and some brake work done which cost well over $3,000. Recently, the ambulance also had over $1,000 in engine work done, attempting to fix some potential electrical issues. One of the problems, according to Parlett, is that the Volunteer Fire Department does not know exactly what is wrong with the engine. One speculation is that the oil pump is failing, but as Parlett said “We’re looking at a fairly major repair…and we don’t know what’s wrong”.
Ambulances take a lot of stress. In addition to the actual miles driven, the ambulance will sit and idle at a fire call. It is important that it stay warm and ready to leave immediately if necessary—but this does take a toll on an engine. So, while the ambulance has driven about 110,000 miles, Parlett says that the amount of hours on the engine is likely considerably more than that. The current ambulance also has some rust problems.
These three problems taken together make acquiring a new ambulance a priority of the Houghton Volunteer Fire Department. “It’s got a lot of use,” Parlett said, adding that in the time he has volunteered for the Fire Department there have been several different ambulances.
The Houghton Fire Department is run on a completely volunteer basis. Only recently have they begun charging patient insurance companies. These fees barely cover the cost of rides. All EMTs, ambulance drivers, and firefighters are not paid. Why do they do it? As Parlett said, “I like helping people… and it’s a really good opportunity to do that.” Stadelmaier reiterated his point—“EMS has always been a part of my life…I absolutely love serving this community”.
The Houghton Volunteer Fire Department provides a needed service for the Houghton Community. For students, faculty and staff, and other community members who want to support the work they do, there will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser on April 4.