Bluffton EMS will answer calls in a new ambulance by next year at this time.

Council’s safety services committee recommended to council and was approved to begin the bidding process for a new ambulance. Its estimated cost is $175,498. When it is in service it replaces an ambulances that served the community for over 20 years.

The ambulance purchase was approved at the Feb. 12 council meeting, following a recommendation from the safety service committee meeting on Jan. 24.

Several additional items were on the Jan. 24 committee agenda:

Jan Basinger, EMS chief, is applying for a potential $40,0000 grant through the Bureau of Workers Compensation. This grant would be applied to a new ambulance cot and two power load systems.

These systems aid EMS staff in loading and unloading patients from the squad. The village portion of these items after the grant would be $31,411.96. These items would not be ordered until the grant is assured.

The committee discussed having the EMS staffed during the day.

The most recent pay increase for the fire chief and EMS chief was approximately 11 years ago. A pay raise in under discussion.

New pagers are needed for the fire department, however the department still awaits Allen County to implement the Marks system. Currently, fire department personnel rely on the Activate 911 app on their phones, as well as existing pagers.  New pagers are $625 each, not counting cost of chargers and accessories.