Questions raised about Pittsburgh's aging emergency vehicle fleet
Questions are being raised about an aging emergency vehicle fleet in Pittsburgh.
A patient on Madeline Street in Carrick went into cardiac arrest, and Pittsburgh EMS Medic Unit 12 responded. But their regular ambulance was in the shop, and the older spare they were driving was having engine trouble.
They made it to the scene, but needed to call a backup unit to transport the patient. Pittsburgh EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist says together, the units restored the patient's heartbeat and successfully transported the patient to UPMC Mercy in the backup ambulance.
Gilchrist said she believes there was "absolutely not" any delay in the treatment or transport.
But Councilman Anthony Coghill said the incident should serve as a last warning to the city about the state of its emergency vehicle fleet.
"My fear is it's only a matter of time before a life is lost because of us neglecting our vehicle fleet over the past many years," he said.
But all accounts, the city's fleet is in desperate shape, with virtually every department depending on vehicles well past their prime languishing in the city's repair garage. Nowhere is this need more pressing than with emergency vehicles.
"When it comes to EMS, when it comes to the Pittsburgh police department, when it comes to fire, we cannot have that," Coghill said.
The city has 13 advanced life support ambulances, but four are currently out for repair. By using federal COVID funds, there are eight new ambulances on order, but Chief Gilchrist concedes those will not keep pace. The city has budgeted only $6 million for the entire fleet this year and projects less than $3 million for each of the next five years.
"With a city the size of ours, no, it's not enough," Gilchrist said.
"You don't make that decision?" KDKA's Andy Sheehan asked.
"I really wish it was," Gilchrist said. "I would have ambulances, fire trucks and police cars and dump trucks for everyone."
Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak says the Gainey administration has spent $40 million over the last three years on vehicles, more than the last several administrations.
"Departments need to invest more in the fleet," Pawlak said. "I'm not denying that, but we're also making significant investments and waiting for those vehicles to come in."
