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JACKSON – A new ambulance will soon be on its way to Northampton County.

The Northampton Board of Commissioners approved the purchase request submitted here at their regular meeting on Sept. 21.

EMS Supervisor Paul Nowell presented the bids to the board. He reported they had received four bids for a new 2021 Ford E-450 Type III ambulance, ranging from $189,843 up to almost $238,000. All the companies were given the same requirements and specifications for the bid.

He recommended the board choose the lowest bid which came from Northwestern Emergency Vehicles.

County Manager Charles Jackson noted that the funds for the purchase were already accounted for in this year’s budget.

The board had no questions about the proposal, and Commissioner Kelvin Edwards motioned for approval of the Northwestern bid. The vote was unanimously in favor after a second from Commissioner Joyce Buffaloe.

“When will this vehicle be on the road” asked Board Chair Charles Tyner.

Nowell estimated it would be January. He noted that the new vehicle will include the latest safety features.

Tyner pointed out that they were only able to spend enough funds last year to remount two of the county’s ambulances instead of replacing them completely. He was referring to the Sept. 19, 2019 and Nov. 4, 2019 meetings when the commissioners approved both times a bid to remount a new chassis onto an older ambulance which had been experiencing some mechanical troubles.

Tyner said he was glad to see money included in this year’s budget to purchase the new vehicle.