NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell was joined today by Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Gilbert Montaño, Chief of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS) Bill Salmeron, NOEMS Deputy Chief of Special Operations and Logistics Cedric Palmisano and Equipment Maintenance Division (EMD) Fleet Operations Manager Firmin A. Maurice IV to unveil 11 new emergency fleet units for use by NOEMS.
“Public safety has been and will remain our top priority,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “New Orleans EMS serves as a national model for innovational pre-hospital care as the only ground ambulance service in the State of Louisiana administering blood to trauma patients. These units give EMS personnel top-of-the-line equipment to continue their innovative work to keep our residents and visitors of New Orleans safe. We began looking to improve our City’s fleet as we received the second allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Even as we faced supply chain challenges and long wait times, we did not give up and worked together to improve our aging fleet, giving our first responders what they need to continue saving lives.”
“Almost 70 percent of City employees are in vehicles, and it matters immensely that they have upgraded equipment,” said CAO Montaño. “Thank you for the help and support of EMS and EMD as well as for your patience. It is such an important piece for EMS, and all public safety departments, to have these resources to continue saving lives. Since year one of this administration, we have been working to fix our aging fleet, and now with our budget surplus, we are collectively investing $50 million into City equipment with the support of the New Orleans City Council.”
The new vehicles unveiled today include five ambulances, four NOEMS Sprint Units and two NOEMS logistics support vans. A total of nine new ambulances will be ready in time for parades starting this weekend, and a total of 11 will be ready by Mardi Gras Day on Feb. 21. The ambulances are the first batch of a total of 12 that will be acquired this year, purchased at a cost of approximately $4.4 million using ARPA funds. The Sprint Units and logistics support vans are part of a larger City purchase of SUVs and cargo vans.
“These additional ambulances and other units will certainly bolster our fleet and get us where we need to be going into parades this weekend,” said Chief Salmeron. “Thank you Mayor, CAO and the entire administration and City government for this big win for our city. Public safety is at the top of the Mayor’s mind, every minute of every day; we see your commitment. We cannot do our jobs unless we have the vehicles to respond to emergency calls. Now, I feel great going into the new year and going into Mardi Gras.”
“We have been facing serious fleet challenges due to automotive mechanic staffing and supply chain shortages,” said Deputy Chief Palmisano. “We realized only 40 percent of our fleet would be operational in time for parades. In early December, we began reaching out to ambulance dealers, and we were able to secure 12 new ambulances for fast delivery. Thank you, Mayor Cantrell, for your unwavering commitment to public safety, and thank you to the CAO and his team for working tirelessly to make these critical purchases happen quickly.”
The new EMS units arrived right on time for the peak of Carnival season, further ensuring a safe and successful Mardi Gras for the residents and visitors to New Orleans. They will also help reduce the need for contracted units from Acadian, saving the City money. NOEMS can now phase out older units that require extensive costs for maintenance and repairs, creating a more sustainable fleet for emergency services.
“We work to support the heroes and first responders that serve the City of New Orleans,” said Maurice IV. “With that, we welcome these new vehicles to the fleet and wish them a long service life.”
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