– Supports Excellance, Inc. with Purchase of New Emergency Units
Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) took delivery today of 3 new ambulance units from Madison manufacturer Excellance, Inc. At an event highlighting the support of local business through the purchase, HEMSI executives welcomed local elected officials as well as representatives from Excellance.
Madison-based Excellance, Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of emergency vehicles in the world, and all units are custom-built to purchaser specifications. In order to take advantage of the custom-design opportunity, HEMSI convened a committee of employees to identify ways to increase the quality of patient care while also improving safety.
The collaborative process resulted in new units for the HEMSI fleet with cutting-edge technology to save lives. The new emergency medical units include:
• All-aluminum modules that feature the latest EPA-compliant turbocharged diesel engine.
• Environmentally controlled compartments to maintain optimal temperatures for IV fluids warm and medications.
• Special high-back seats with restraints that swivel both to face either the patient or the front of the vehicle to increase safety for emergency personnel.
• Fold-down seats that can be configured to accommodate an additional stretcher inside the unit.
• Slide-out drawers for resuscitation equipment.
• Heating and cooling units to maintain a temperate climate when the unit is stationary.
• Specialized storage compartments to keep supplies accessible when the vehicle is in motion.
• Brackets to secure portable equipment to countertops as well as convenient fastening points around the stretcher.
• High-visibility handrails to increase stability for emergency workers on the move.
• Customized consoles for mounting the new Mobile Data Terminals (laptop computers).
• Newly designed storage areas for crew equipment.
• Exterior-mounted rear-vision cameras to provide sight behind the unit to reduce accidents.
• Underbody work lights to create a perimeter of ground lighting.
HEMSI CEO Jon Howell said, “HEMSI is dedicated to providing the best possible care of our patients while maintaining the highest standards of safety. Working in partnership with Excellance gives us the added benefit of supporting our local economy while providing custom features for our patients.”
Excellance, Inc. President Charlie Epps expressed, “Everyone at Excellance is proud to deliver these three new Excellance ambulances to HEMSI. This investment in locally manufactured Excellance ambulances will pay high dividends to HEMSI for decades.”
The mayors of Huntsville and Madison also conveyed their support.
“The HEMSI program is and remains one of the stars of Alabama. The service that HEMSI provides will only be improved with this acquisition. A local project that is putting tax dollars into our local economy and, most importantly, providing the best possible care for patients – I am very pleased with these efforts,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
Madison Mayor Paul Finley added, “The new ambulance project is another example of how our communities can come together to benefit all involved -- and provide even better emergency medical care for all the citizens of Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County.”
Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. is the not-for-profit ambulance service providing care for more than 300,000 citizens in over 800 square miles of Huntsville/Madison County, Alabama. Services range from emergency medical transportation to scheduled specialized handicap services, and HEMSI is the only service in the state accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.
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