Harvard’s ambulance service is requesting funds to help purchase a second ambulance for the town—but not because it intends to put two ambulances into service. The intention is to purchase a replacement for the existing ambulance two years earlier than scheduled to take advantage of money the state is giving towns affected by the closing of Nashoba Valley Medical Center a few months ago. The service plans to keep the existing ambulance as backup.
At its Nov. 20 meeting, ambulance coordinator Jason Cotting told the Capital Planning and Investment Committee that the state has “chosen to paper over the gaping hole left by the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center by handing out cash.” Each affected town will get $250,000 to be spent on EMS capital improvements; the funds must be spent by the end of calendar 2025.
Cotting said the cost of a new ambulance, stretcher, and the medical equipment needed on the ambulance is currently $500,000. He plans to use $50,000 of the state grant to pay for upgrading the ambulance service’s licensure to ALS-Advanced level, a program that is already underway. The remaining $200,000 would be put toward the new ambulance and associated equipment; he is asking for $300,000 from CPIC in fiscal 2026 to pay for the remainder.
Should the town approve a new ambulance, Cotting said the existing ambulance, which is about 8 years old, would serve as a backup when the primary ambulance is out of service for repairs. He said that happens a few times a year, and when it does, he typically asks to borrow an ambulance from Bolton EMS. If Bolton can’t comply, Cotting turns to mutual aid to cover ambulance calls until the truck is fixed, which can take anywhere from two days to two weeks.
Any questions?
CPIC Chair Nate Finch asked Cotting whether both ambulances could be staffed and put into service. Cotting said they could potentially be given enough staff in the future. He said the ambulance service is in an “upward call volume trend,” and he believes two trucks will eventually be needed to meet the town’s needs.
When member Rich Marcello asked if the existing ambulance could be sold, Cotting said the town’s previous ambulance sold for only $12,000. He said the current ambulance’s value as a reserve truck “greatly exceeds” its sale value. But he said keeping two trucks requires fully equipping both because of license requirements, and that did increase the quoted value for the second ambulance.
CPIC member Mike Derse asked if the $200,000 from the state could be put toward the design of a new Fire-EMS station instead. Cotting said he didn’t think so, because the money is to be used only for EMS capital improvements. Finch asked if the town had enough garage space for a second ambulance. Cotting said Fire Chief Rick Sicard plans to move some vehicles out of the Still River fire station, and the existing ambulance would be parked there. He said state regulations require ambulances to be stored in climate-controlled environments. He added that the old one would be driven periodically to keep it running properly.
CPIC is scheduled to vote on which projects it will recommend for fiscal 2026 later this month. Recommended projects will be placed on the warrant for 2025 Annual Town Meeting, and voters will make the final determination of which to fund.
