Jonathan Zweygardt
Hays Post
The Ellis County commission gave approval for the County Emergency Medical Services to put out bids to purchase two new ambulances at Monday night’s Ellis County Commission meeting.

EMS Director Kerry McCue said the first ambulance was scheduled to be replaced in 2011 and has 160,000 miles and the second ambulance has 109,000 miles and was to be replaced in 2012. The second ambulance also recently had the transmission go out and McCue estimated the cost of repairs would be about the same as what the vehicle is worth.

McCue said they added a few safety upgrades and another air conditioner unit for the rear of the ambulance, which would run off a power inverter and controlled with a thermostat, to help cool medications while the vehicle was sitting in the bay.

The commissioners wanted to know the estimated cost on the second unit and McCue said he wasn’t sure but he would let the commission know that cost and they could also add it as an option in the bidding process to consider later.

Other business:

• McCue also presented the commission with an update on the EMS operation. According to the report presented, Ellis County EMS went on 3,206 calls in 2013.
• Received an update on the East Highway 40 construction project that is set to begin sometime this month
• The County has received a grant to upgrade a railroad crossing west of Yocemento from a passive to an active crossing.