Burns: $47,200 grant for Cambria Twp. VFC to buy new EMS vehicle
18-year-old, stalling-plagued SUV will finally be retired
Rep. Frank Burns May 6, 2024 | 9:16 AM
EBENSBURG, May 6 – A converted 18-year-old Dodge Durango, serving as a quick-response EMS vehicle for Cambria Township Volunteer Fire Company but plagued of late with sudden stalling-out problems, is being replaced thanks to a $47,200 grant obtained by state Rep. Frank Burns.
“I had a meeting in Colver with several members of the fire company and when they showed me the condition of their emergency vehicle, I knew we didn’t have much time to waste,” Burns said. “Their vehicle was having serious electrical issues and would randomly stall out and shut down.
“They would head to a scene and it would basically stall out. These guys have made do for a long time – they bought a used SUV and converted it with shelves for use as a quick-response, non-transport vehicle – but it’s at the point where it was going to put people in danger if they didn’t get a new vehicle soon.” ________________________________________________________________
“Franks Burns’ timing was phenomenal. When we reached out to him for help, he immediately replied ‘Yes’ and was meeting with us within two days. Within a week, he was able to reach out to his contacts and come back with positive news on finding some funding for this.” – Chief Geoff Pablic, Cambria Township Volunteer Fire Company
Chief Geoff Pablic said his fire company bought the lightly used Durango in 2006 for $15,000 for use as a “squad vehicle” dispatched to medical calls in Cambria, Barr and Blacklick townships. He said the vehicle is dispatched at the same time as an ambulance, but often arrives faster given the large rural service area, allowing EMS personnel to render emergency medical aid more quickly.
“Over the past couple of years, we’ve run into a situation where the battery is drained,” Pablic said. “We basically always have a battery charger sitting next to it at all times, so that if we get a call and you turn the key and nothing happens, we can get out the door.
“One time recently, responding to a call, the vehicle actually stopped running at the end of our driveway. That was more than concerning.”
Having just built and financed a new building in 2020, Pablic said those payments made finding the cash for a new vehicle problematic for the Cambria Township Volunteer Fire Company, which made Burns’ help much appreciated.
“Franks Burns’ timing was phenomenal. When we reached out to him for help, he immediately replied ‘Yes’ and was meeting with us within two days. Within a week, he was able to reach out to his contacts and come back with positive news on finding some funding for this,” Pablic said.
“Frank appreciates the small-town fire department and the help it does for the community. He was more than happy to say to us that day, ‘I understand small-town fire departments and their importance. Let me see what I can do to accomplish this vehicle replacement.’”