Fire departments across Texas are having to wait longer than usual to update their ambulance fleets, which is driving up costs and forcing many of them to use outdated vehicles to keep up with calls.
First responders need reliable, maintained ambulances without high mileage to ensure fast response times.
But the ongoing microchip shortage, global supply chain issues and slower plant output have made it harder to replace older ambulances.Fire officials across Texas drafted a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and President Joe Biden urging them to help find a solution, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña tells Axios.to Buttigieg asking for help. He said the delays jeopardize public safety in Texas and across the U.S.
"It's really going to put a crunch on our ability to deliver services," Peña says. "Without that, we're going to fall further and further behind in our replacement cycle."Austin usually orders around 15 new ambulances at a time to maintain its fleet of 80 to 90 vehicles. This year, the city has had to use older vehicles, increasing maintenance costs by $3 million, the Dallas mayor wrote in his letter.
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