Gwinnett Daily Post

WINDER -- Barrow County Emergency Services recently put three new ambulances into action, replacing a trio of aging models that were racking up repairs and maintenance costs.

The new ambulances -- purchased for just less than $175,000 apiece -- were officially put into service on March 1. They will operate out of Stations 1, 6 and 7, spokesman Lt. Scott Dakin said, and replace vehicles that all had more than 120,000 miles on them.

"The Board of Commissioners approved this purchase because they realized we need to replace the aging ambulances we were operating, which was costing more and more money to maintain," Fire Chief Dennis Merrifield said.

The ambulances come with their fair share of upgrades as well.

Dakin said technological improvements in the new models include "a camera in the patient compartment and a backup camera to assist the driver, a computer system to monitor and adjust the environment in the patient compartment as well as monitor things such as oxygen flow." Larger compartments also allow for more storage, Dakin said.

"These ambulances will help us to even better serve the citizens of Barrow County," Merrifield said. "We are all excited to be able to add them to our fleet of vehicles."