By BRYCE MARTIN
Pioneer Editor | bmartin@countrymedia.net
Bowman Ambulance was proud to show off the newest addition to its fleet of emergency vehicles on Tuesday.
A shiny, new 2015 Ford E-450 Superduty ambulance was purchased using state oil impact grants, a donation from oil giant TransCanada and funds from both Southwest Healthcare Services and the Bowman County Rural Ambulance District.
The rig was delivered Tuesday by a representative of the seller, Premier Specialty Vehicles of Fergus Falls, Minn.
Lisa Knopp, head of Bowman Ambulance, said the new ambulance’s advanced technology would help to better serve emergency medical technicians when on a call. While Knopp said the purchase was expensive, it was crucial to help provide top emergency care for the community.
The ambulance boasts an advanced control screen on the dashboard that can regulate many aspects of the emergency vehicle, including monitoring the amount of oxygen available. Emily Halleen, an EMT with Bowman Ambulance, said that previously oxygen could only be monitored when outside a rig.
The new vehicle also features a row of top-to-bottom Chevron lights on its rear that flash during an emergency.
The new ambulance will be put into commission in the next few weeks, and brings the department’s total rig count to three.
Bowman Ambulance traded in an older 2001 model ambulance, which had 148,000 miles, according to Knopp.
Soon the department will also have a new place to house the ambulances with work soon to be completed on the new Bowman Ambulance garage on Highway 12.
