Brick to Purchase Four Wheel Drive Ambulances

Brick is purchasing two four wheel drive ambulances for use during weather emergencies.

The need for the purchase was proved by last December's blizzard, when rescue crews found it difficult to reach patients in need of medical attention, said Business Administrator Scott Pezarras.

"That was a concern to us, because we had difficulty getting to the patients in need," Pezarras said. "Sometimes, we had to go in and manually pull [patients] out on sleds."

The new ambulances, which will be built on a Ford F-450 truck platform and cost $138,562 each, will be under the control of the Brick Police EMS squad. There is one four wheel drive ambulance – based on a Hummer platform – in the township already, but it is owned by a volunteer EMT company on the barrier island that serves both Brick and Toms River neighborhoods.

"That's a pretty sturdy truck," Councilman Dan Toth said, of the F-450 frame on which the new ambulances will be built.

Pezarras said one of the new ambulances will be stationed, during weather events, on the north side of town and the other on the south side of town. Dover-Brick EMS's existing Hummer ambulance will serve barrier island residents as it always has.

"You're going to have some instances where they get stuck, but you're going to have a much better chance of getting all the way to the patient's house," Pezarras said.