American Rescue Plan funds help pay for new Princeton Rescue Squad ambulance
Aug. 1—PRINCETON — A new advanced life support ambulance will help the Princeton Rescue Squad in the fight against COVID.
The Princeton Rescue Squad and Bluefield Rescue Squad joined in writing a grant to the Mercer County Commission requesting funds to buy two ambulances, one for each squad, said Stacey Hicks, executive director of the Princeton Rescue Squad.
"And we paid half and the county paid half. The cost of the ambulance on this one was about $225,000 fully loaded," Hicks said. "The county commission gave us a grant of $107,000 and Bluefield the same amount."
The new ambulance has up-to-date features such as lighting that kills the COVID virus and equipment designed for treating COVID patients.
"The monitor on board helps us monitor patients' oxygen levels when we're transporting COVID patients," Hicks said. "The monitor itself is about $50,000."
Mercer County has been awarding grants funded by $5.7 million of $11.4 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding.The monies do not have to be allocated until 2024 and they do not have to be spent until 2026.
American Rescue Plan grants are helping to fund infrastructure projects and purchase new equipment for first responders including rescue squads and volunteer fire departments.
"It fits into American Rescue Plan because it's medical and it's COVID related," Mercer County Commission President Gene Buckner said about the ambulance grant. "That's what the American Rescue Plan is all about, COVID-related and tourism and different things. This definitely comes into the play because it's COVID-related."
When the pandemic started, rescue squads were the county's "frontline people," County Commissioner Bill Archer said.
"They were drawn real heavily all over the place. We could help a little bit with PPE (personal protection equipment)," Archer recalled. "These kinds of things are not just a flash in the pan. They'll be with us for a while and the fact they'll be able to treat their patients and also protect employees is a bonus to us. We're happy the two rescue squads were working together on this particular proposal."
The commission provided assistance when COVID-19 reached Mercer County, Hicks added.
"They gave some funds to us and other agencies to help with buying PPE, and then when the county got some PPE, they shared it with us," he said. "It's been a joint effort for a long time; now it's been like the last three years. It's been a tough road, but this county has come together and done a good job of taking care of the community."
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
