According to the Detroit Public Safety Foundation, the city of Detroit is set to receive six shiny new red ambulances this week to help their beleaguered fleet.
Detroit’s ambulances are definitely put to the test, and replacing them also lowers operating costs. Older ambulances average double the mileage, fuel consumption and emissions when compared to newer vehicles. The new rigs should help the city’s goal of keeping ambulance response times low, which they currently report at an average of 8 minutes and 52 seconds according to their last Detroit Dashboard. The most recent information available online shows that the city fleet stands at 22 EMS units.
The Detroit Public Safety Foundation is separate from the city but support the efforts of Police, EMS and Fire. Eighty-five percent of the City’s budget for public safety is personnel payroll and benefits, and the foundation through various corporate, personal, and non-profit giving sources helps fill gaps the city can’t afford. According to DPSF information, they’ve been responsible for $4 million in direct support for special projects and acquiring more than $80 million in grants.
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