PITTSBURGH — The City of Pittsburgh has taken action after 11 Investigates discovered last Friday that two brand-new ambulances were sitting at a garage waiting for inspections that were never requested.
The ambulances were inspected on Wednesday and both passed.
11 Investigates has learned that both ambulances are now on the road answering calls.
While EMS admitted they dropped the ball, they’re now calling it a blessing in disguise.
With an immediate and critical need for new ambulances, one arrived in January. It was even used during a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of EMS.
The other came in early February.
But 11 Investigates discovered last week they hadn’t answered any calls.
Both had been at the city garage waiting for inspections until 11 Investigates started asking questions last week.
“Unfortunately, there was a ball dropped, a miscommunication happened that’s been swiftly dealt with,” EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist said.
Chief Gilchrist said it took weeks to modify both ambulances with trips back and forth to the dealer.
She said they had been ready for inspection for about a month.
But her staff apparently didn’t submit the request to EMS West, the agency that makes sure the ambulances have all the tools to handle emergencies.
Earle: Were you under the impression that they had been contacted?
Gilchrist: I will just say this, I was unaware they were not contacted.
During a special council hearing on the aging city fleet this week, EMS officials downplayed the delay, and said mechanics actually discovered a coolant hose in both vehicles was cut too short during the modification process, and that could have spelled disaster if they had been put on the road earlier.
“If those trucks would have been on the road, they would have broke down at some point,” Deputy Chief Jeff Tremel said.
Both of the new ambulances that came in this year were actually ordered in 2022.
EMS officials said that’s due to a significant delay in manufacturing.
EMS is supposed to get six more new ambulances, but at this point, it’s unclear when they will get to the city.
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