PACE gets new 'green' rig

Photo: A.M. Sheehan

GOING GREEN — PACE Director Bob Hand, left, stands with Paramedic Marge Fletcher and EMT Paul Harvey in front of the service's new ECOSMART ambulance.

NORWAY — PACE Paramedic Service has gone green. With the arrival of a new ambulance with an ECOSMART system, the service can cut down on fuel cost and waste, emissions and fuel-consuming drag.

The Demers ambulance has an aerodynamic design that cuts down on wind resistance helping to eliminate drag which saves fuel. Further, the rig has an idle-reduction system that shuts the engine off while maintaining heat/cooling in the rig as well as lights and power. Periodically, the engine will automatically start up to recharge the rig's batteries.

According to the manufacturer, the rig is powered by the DEMS (Demers Electrical Management System), the Demers ECOSmart system which creates an intelligent, super-efficient anti-idling engine – an innovation that delivers automatic fuel savings of $1,500 – $2,000 a year, or a reduction in fuel consumption of more than 40 percent – almost 4.5 tonnes fewer carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Inside, the rig is constructed of lightweight aluminum and fiberglass which also helps with less fuel consumption. The interior is coated with a bio-resistant material which makes it easier to clean and is less likely to harbor microbe growth.

The ambulance is built by Demers which also built parts for the space shuttle. The electronics of the rig are computer controlled and operators can immediately trouble-shoot directly with the manufacturer in Canada at any time.

All driver-operated controls and instrumentation is on the dash instead of between the front seats which enables the driver to keep his eyes on the road as he operates various switches and buttons. The rig has a back up camera and an external speaker system.

The rig bought by PACE was a demo model with six miles on it.

PACE Director Robert Hand said Demers is a top-notch manufacturer with very competitive pricing.

"One of our paramedics, Mike Hartford, actually visited the Demers factory in Montreal," said Hand, explaining that Hartford got to see the ambulances at various manufacturing stages.

Hand noted that with the ever advancing level of care available in ambulances, the new rig is virtually "a mobile ICU unit enabling the patient to receive life-saving treatment the entire way in to the hospital."