Lifeguard Emergency Medical Services in Macomb debuted two new ambulances Thursday at its garage and office at 519 E. Grant St.
According to Macomb Lifeguard Operations Manager Eric McCleery, the new ambulances replace a 2009 Chevy van and a 2017 ambulance. The new vehicles, which were built in-house by Global Medical Response (GMR)/Lifeguard's Next Fleet operations, join four additional emergency response vehicles that serve McDonough County 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
McCleery noted that the service, which is based at the former Westervelt House on the McDonough District Hospital campus and the former Macomb Fire Station 2 on East Pierce Street, typically has three ambulances ready to go at any given time. Two are typically housed at the Grant Street garage, with one at the Pierce location to ensure coverage on both sides of the tracks. The front – or truck sections - are 2027 Ford E350, while the 'box,' or rear, part of the ambulance are rebuilt/refurbished, and include the latest in equipment, including a Stryker lift in the rear of the ambulance to help load the gurney.
'We appreciate GMR for investing in two new service vehicles for our operations,' McCleery added. 'Because these are built in-house, we are able to obtain two new vehicles in a more timely and cost effective way.” As part of bringing the ambulances into the fleet, instead of an official 'ribbon-cutting,' McCleery is going to have an official 'coining.'
Lifeguard staff proudly display their new ambulances.
'Challenge coins are a big part of the military, and we use something similar, safety coins, for our operations. Every member has a coin that they put in their pocket when they come to work. The coin reminds them of their commitment to safety, not just our passengers but for themselves as well,' he explained. 'At every meeting, we ask if anyone has a safety concern and if they do, they hold up their coin. This ensures people's concerns are heard, and we address anything that could be a safety issue.'
McCleery will be mounting a safety coin on the dash of each new ambulance to remind the crews every time they go on a call, their commitment, and responsibility, to ensure the safety of everyone involved. In addition, he is establishing a family wall within the Westervelt house for his 25 employees to display their family photos as another reminder that they need to come back safely every time they respond to an emergency.
Lifeguard has been serving McDonough County since 2018, after then-McDonough District Hospital CEO Kenny Boyd eliminated the hospital's in-house ambulance program. The current contract with MDH runs through April 30, 2027. A special committee, led by MDH Interim CEO Wanda Foster, composed of MDH, county and city officials is currently reviewing options for a county-based ambulance service.
