South Shore Ambulance Arrives

The new South Shore Fire Department ambulance has arrived.

After years of back-and-forth about whether to get an ambulance remounted or spring for new one, the boards of Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant finally agreed at the same time to purchase a new or demo rig to replace a 1999 unit that was well past it's expected lifetime.

SSFD Chief Robert Stedman confirmed for Patch Friday that the new rig was delivered to Station 9 in Sturtevant and undergoing some final work before it hits the road.

"Yes, it's here," he said. "We're putting some finishing touches on it like installing the radios and putting in brackets for certain equipment."

The rig will also get SSFD branded decals next week.

Originally expected the first week of August, the ambulance is a demo instead of a new build, which decreased delivery time by a few months. Stedman said the delay was a result of Foster Coach - the vendor - needing to first get a replacement demo, and the new SSFD unit was on display at a fire chief's convention in Chicago last month.

Stedman said he expects the new ambulance to go into service on or about Sept. 23, and he plans to take it to the board meetings of both Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant so trustees and residents can take a good look at it.