(PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
PIONEER FIRE HALL … An ambulance has not been housed at the fire hall since early 2010.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Williams County EMS is moving forward with a proposal to bring an ambulance back to Pioneer for the first time in 15 years with what EMS representative Jessie Brumbaugh calls an “interesting and unique opportunity.”
Originally introduced to the Williams County Commissioners on June 4, the plan aims to revive the EMS presence in the Pioneer and surrounding township area.
The original squad was disbanded due to low call volume and volunteer shortages. Now, with six to seven newly certified EMTS, primarily based in that region, momentum has returned for the northern part of the county to have its own operational ambulance.
A potential ambulance has already been identified. Brumbaugh located an ambulatory vehicle with a 2008 Duramax Diesel engine in the City of Oregon.
This region regularly rotates out older yet functional vehicles. With only 67,000 miles and a reputation for reliability, the ambulance is being offered to Williams County at $37,000.
This is well below its estimated value of $650,000, once factoring in maintenance, structural integrity, and included features.
The total estimated cost to fully equip and label the vehicle comes to $132,765. This includes roughly $83,000 in necessary equipment, such as heart monitors, and around $12,000 for optional decals and vinyl to represent both the county and Pioneer location. Notably, many supplies are already available on hand, which helps offset expenses.
Although the vehicle acquisition is not yet finalized, the county is working to acquire it through sealed bid or via govdeals.com an online platform they’ve used in the past.
Legalities are still being wrapped up in the City of Oregon, but the intent to sell to Williams County remains strong.
Unlike contractual county units, Pioneer’s squad will be staffed by paid volunteers. The ambulance won’t be in constant service but will operate when at least two volunteers are available – likely weekends, weeknights, and holidays. The unit will function similarly to medic squads stationed in Edon, Edgerton, and Stryker.
Storage of the vehicle sparked conversation at the June 9 Pioneer Village Council meeting. Brumbaugh proposed housing the ambulance in the fire hall with no cost to the village aside from electricity for charging equipment.
While most of the council welcomed the idea, Mayor Ed Kidston raised questions about spacing and regulatory permits, citing past complaints of crowding and unclear pharmacy licensing status.
“The license that you have… has been renewed every two years, since 2010,” Kidston said, referencing a conversation he had with the Ohio Pharmaceutical Board, which reportedly had some confusion about the permit.
Kidston remained unsure of the necessity of the continued license since no ambulatory vehicle was in place in Pioneer. However, in rare instances like this, it proved useful for the unexpected purchase.
After some minor discourse and raised questions from the mayor, Commissioner Scott Lirot addressed the council directly.
“We are giving you a gift here. Do you want a free ambulance or not?” he asked. “This is doing nothing but taking money out of the County General Fund – for Pioneer.”
Brumbaugh confirmed his confidence in the new EMTs and committed to investigating the permit issue. “I think it’s a good deal,” added council member Trevor West. “No way we can turn this down.”
A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is expected to be signed at a Special Council Meeting on June 19.
Commissioner Rummel clarified that the MOU is a duplicate of the one used for Florence Township, with only the necessary names being changed for Pioneer. “I’m really happy with this, and I can’t believe it went this fast,” commented Rummel.
Mayor Kidston later revealed that the village is in the process of purchasing the former Cogswell building across from the fire hall to house fire and first responder equipment, and “hopefully as of last week, a County EMS unit to serve the northern part of the county.”
While an environmental study on the building revealed a minor contaminated section, approximately 15’ x 10’, the Village plans to deed that portion to the land bank for cleanup, at no cost to taxpayers. Once remediated, the property will revert to the Village for its intended use.
Support from the community is already emerging. Wieland Chase donated over $1,600 to the new EMS effort – the proceeds of the first $2 book sale of the year. The donation will go directly toward ambulance equipment.
As plans move forward, the commissioners aim to take formal action on June 24, pending Pioneer’s MOU approval.
Equipment funding remains a focal point in the coming weeks, but the enthusiasm surrounding the project signals a potential turning point for emergency services in the county’s northern tier.