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05/11/2015
Health Minister Unveils €9.4m Ambulance Fleet
Health Minister Leo Varadkar has unveiled the first three of 64 ambulances to be provided this year due to a €9.4m investment.
A new Rapid Response Vehicle was also unveiled today, 05 November.
The vehicle fleet will be allocated in ambulance bases across Ireland before the end of the year to replace vehicles which have reached the end of their life-cycle.
The 64 ambulances have been delivered under a contract signed with Wilker Auto Converters through the HSE fleet replacement programme.
In addition to standard equipment such as cardiac defibrillators and 12-lead ECG monitors, the vehicles are fitted with additional equipment including mechanical in-vehicle CPR.
Minister Varadkar said: "I'm delighted to see these vehicles coming into service. It's a very significant investment in the ambulance fleet which allows us to support extra services and replace older vehicles. Each ambulance is equipped with state-of-the-art technology as standard.
"Our ambulances and crews cover enormous distances every year so it's vital that we continue to upgrade the fleet, to allow our highly-trained paramedics to give the best service they can, when and where our patients need it.
"At the same time we are modernising the ambulance service to better reflect 21st century healthcare, including the use of Rapid Response Vehicles like the one on display here today."
(LM/JP)
A new Rapid Response Vehicle was also unveiled today, 05 November.
The vehicle fleet will be allocated in ambulance bases across Ireland before the end of the year to replace vehicles which have reached the end of their life-cycle.
The 64 ambulances have been delivered under a contract signed with Wilker Auto Converters through the HSE fleet replacement programme.
In addition to standard equipment such as cardiac defibrillators and 12-lead ECG monitors, the vehicles are fitted with additional equipment including mechanical in-vehicle CPR.
Minister Varadkar said: "I'm delighted to see these vehicles coming into service. It's a very significant investment in the ambulance fleet which allows us to support extra services and replace older vehicles. Each ambulance is equipped with state-of-the-art technology as standard.
"Our ambulances and crews cover enormous distances every year so it's vital that we continue to upgrade the fleet, to allow our highly-trained paramedics to give the best service they can, when and where our patients need it.
"At the same time we are modernising the ambulance service to better reflect 21st century healthcare, including the use of Rapid Response Vehicles like the one on display here today."
(LM/JP)
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