A new ambulance has arrived in Brady Township, Clearfield County.

Paramedics say it was well-needed due to the age of the old model.

With their only ambulance going on 20 years old, they say the old one is still a safe vehicle, but it’s time for a change.

Two weeks ago, Brady Township’s fire and EMS company welcomed its new ambulance and it’s now painted yellow to match their fire trucks.

“Every so many years, you have to update the ambulances too, just like fire trucks, and it was starting to get in bad shape,” says ambulance chairman Dana Tubbs.

“Once they get 10 years old, they just start looking for new ones. You’ve got to keep everything updated so it’s in good shape,” says past fire chief/township supervisor Bill Harvey.

The EMTs say the old white Station 30 ambulance with a yellow stripe is from 1997. On Thursday, they plan to transfer equipment to the new yellow ambulance

“It will be nice to get it in service. It’s gonna benefit the public just like the old one has,” says EMT Scott Wachob.

Tubbs has been volunteering as an EMT since 1979. He says the demo-model Ford from PennCare in Ohio cost $190,000.

Tubbs says they got to the final round with a federal fire grant application, but were denied, possibly because they had too much in their savings account.

Nevertheless, they’re happy to have this ambulance here in Luthersburg.

“We have to stay within the state standards. We have to carry the equipment and they keep adding more and more equipment to the BLS services,” says Wachob.

“We usually keep ours longer. We don’t put as many miles on it. A lot of your in-town services do. They put a lot of miles on it doing long-distance transports,” says Tubbs.

“This will be going in service probably the end of the week. It has to be inspected by EMMCO,” says Harvey.

Tubbs says they provide BLS, or basic life support service, and get about 250 calls a year. Paramedics say they got a multi-year loan through First Commonwealth Bank to pay for the new ambulance.  The old ambulance will be sold off.