Carson City Fire gets new custom-made ambulances

Carson City Fire Department has added two custom-made ambulances to its fleet, brining the total number of vehicles to six.

The two new rigs are state-of-the art "rolling emergency rooms," said Emergency Medical Services chief Vincent Pirozzi.

The EMS department spent $215,480 for the two vehicles. No tax dollars were used to purchase the two vehicles as the EMS department is independently funded through user fees, Pirozzi said.

The new units can carry three stretchers, or "litters," at a time and up to four injured people if one of them can sit.

Inside, the all-aluminum vehicles have oxygen stations, glass cabinets, windows and the latest in life-saving equipment. They also carry a new $30,000 cardiac monitor on board.

Paramedic Alex Kukulus said the new equipment "makes it a little bit easier" to do his job. "We definitely have a good fleet here," he said.

The department answers about 6,000 calls per year for medical emergencies including trauma, elderly care, respiratory and cardiac emergencies. That number represents a 7 percent increase over last year.