The Joint Powers Board for the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services (SCWEMS) met at the Saratoga Ambulance station last Wednesday night to discuss, among other items on its lengthy agenda, which company it will purchase two new ambulances from. After comparing the various bid packages sent to it by the different companies the board decided to accept the bid from Demers Ambulances who had the best price as well as the necessary features the board was looking for. Since SCWEMS was formed the towns have scavenged together whatever ambulances they could find according to SCWEMS Ambulance Director Heidi Sifford. “What we’ve ended up with is a situation where many of our rigs are very high milage and many are only two-wheel drive instead of four-wheel drive. What we really want to have is one solid four-wheel at each station.”
According to Sifford, the town of Medicine Bow was instrumental in putting the grant together for the new ambulances,” The Medicine Bow Mayor approved their grant writer to work with Stephanie Colman to get the grant.”
The State Land and Investment Board (SLIB) grant was originally written for three ambulances but when it looked like it might not be approved Sifford said they got a little help from the top.
“Gov. Matt Mead was amazing. He is a big supporter of EMS and he asked if we could take less than the funding that we needed ... So they removed one of the ambulances from the grant and pushed it though.”
Even though SCWEMS is only getting two new units instead of the three it originally requested Sifford is positive that, “We’re getting to where we need to be.”
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