Habitat writes a second chapter for retired ambulance
Collin Whitehouse
By Cecilia Nasmith
After covering thousands of kilometres of Northumberland County roads and transporting hundreds of local patients over the past five years, a Northumberland Paramedics ambulance is about to enjoy a second chapter after retirement – in the construction trade.
(Left to Right): County Councillor Bill Cane, County CAO Jennifer Moore, Habitat Northumberland ED Meaghan Macdonald, Habitat Northumberland Board Chair Robert Gibson, Northumberland Paramedics Deputy Chief Susan Brown, Habitat Northumberland Construction Manager Deb Wilson, Habitat Northumberland Site Supervisor Tobi Moeller, County Councillor Mandy Martin, Northumberland Paramedics Shift Superintendent Trevor Mackey, Northumberland Paramedics Logistics Coordinator Chris Pearce.
On Tuesday morning, the keys to the decommissioned vehicle were handed over to Habitat For Humanity Northumberland, who will find it useful to transport tools, equipment and building materials to work sites.
“Council is very pleased that this retired ambulance will be put to work in support of the community’s efforts to address the increasing local need for affordable housing,” Warden John Logel stated in the county press release. “With this donation, Habitat Northumberland is further equipped to tackle its ambitious strategic goal of helping an additional 50 families either achieve or maintain affordable homeownership by the end of 2021. We are proud to be supporting this important work to create new possibilities for our community.”
Northumberland Paramedics typically has one to three ambulances that are decommissioned each year, based on the recommended life cycle set by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in 2012. County council established a by-law permitting the donation of such surplus assets. Northumberland Paramedics recommends non-profit agencies and community emergency-management partners that serve residents across the county as priority recipients of these retired vehicles.
Habitat executive director Meaghan Macdonald extended thanks to the county and to the paramedics for the donation.
“To date, we have partnered with 80 families across the county to help them either achieve or maintain affordable homeownership,” Macdonald said in the press release.
”This vehicle will increase Habitat’s capacity, enabling us to take on multiple construction and renovation projects at once, and thereby increasing our output and impact in the community.
“We are proud to call Northumberland Paramedics a partner in helping us build hope for the future - one family, one community, one home at a time.”