Cambria Fire Company receives grant for new EMS vehicle

EBENSBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — After 18 years, a “stalling-plagued” SUV belonging to the Cambria Township Volunteer Fire Company is being retired and replaced.

State Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria) announced Monday a $47,200 grant that will be used to purchase a new EMS vehicle for the fire company. It will replace an 18-year-old Dodge Durango that has recently been stalling out.

“I had a meeting in Colver with several members of the fire company and when they showed me the condition of their emergency vehicle, I knew we didn’t have much time to waste,” Burns said. “Their vehicle was having serious electrical issues and would randomly stall out and shut down.”

This new SUV will be converted with shelves so EMS workers can use it as a quick response, non-transport vehicle.

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Chief Geoff Pablic said the company bought the used Durango in 2006 for $15,000 to use as a squad vehicle for medical calls in Cambria, Barr and Blacklick townships. These vehicles were often dispatched at the same time as ambulances but typically got to the scene faster, which allowed EMS personnel to render emergency aid faster.

“Franks Burns’ timing was phenomenal. When we reached out to him for help, he immediately replied ‘Yes’ and was meeting with us within two days. Within a week, he was able to reach out to his contacts and come back with positive news on finding some funding for this,” Pablic said.

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