LCRA, PEC award $50,000 grant to Kimble County EMS for new ambulance
Purchase of refurbished ambulance will enhance emergency response
OCT. 30, 2024
JUNCTION, Texas – Kimble County Emergency Medical Services soon will purchase a refurbished ambulance to add to its fleet of emergency response vehicles, thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant will be combined with more than $210,000 from the department and other donors to enable the EMS to acquire a fully refurbished ambulance that will enhance emergency medical services throughout the county. The EMS is the sole provider of 911 medical care in Kimble County.
Ted Sandlin, Kimble County EMS director, said the ambulance will increase the department’s dependability and capabilities.
“The ambulance we’re getting rid of is a 2005 model, so it was getting kind of dated,” Sandlin said. “This grant will provide us with an additional four-wheel drive ambulance, which is important because we discovered in the 2021 snowstorm that two-wheel drive vehicles don’t really cut it.”
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said having dependable ambulances ready to go at a moment’s notice is vitally important for any community.
“Providing immediate access to medical care is critical,” he said. “A quick response can often prevent a medical crisis from escalating, and in some cases can even be the difference between life and death. LCRA is honored to provide this grant to ensure help will be available and on the way any time it’s needed.”
Choosing a fully refurbished ambulance instead of a new model saved the EMS about $200,000, Sandlin said.
“We’re not the richest county in the world, so we’re dependent on grants,” he said. “The ambulance we’re purchasing is more heavy duty, so it should last us a long time, which is important for a community like ours.”
Kimble County EMS serves the entirety of Kimble County, including Junction, Roosevelt, London and portions of adjacent counties.
The community grant is one of 37 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Pedernales Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.
About PEC
Founded in 1938 by then-Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson, Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 400,000 meters across the Texas Hill Country. An industry-recognized leader providing outstanding member service and reliable electricity, PEC conducts its business via a transparent and democratic process and encourages member participation.
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