New Requirement Will Affect Your Ambulance Costs

Are you planning on purchasing an ambulance this year?
You may have to add up to $42,000 to your budget due to a proposed
Change Notice #8 from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).


The safety and design standards for ambulances in the U.S. will soon be changing, but while the new requirements are supposed to be in place in 2016, the industry has yet to reach consensus on those standards. What we do know is that the change slated for the stretcher mounting system is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2015 and if your service is KKK compliant these new standards will affect you. The current antler style mounts that have been an industry main stay for many years will be replaced by either a powered load system or a track system, both of these come at a considerable price increase.

 

We don’t know what is in development by the two cot manufacturers, we suggest you contact your local rep and find out the options that you may have for replacement of the antler system. While this only applies to new ambulances built after the July 1st deadline, the price impact can be anywhere from $7,000.00 to $42,000.00 depending on the stretcher and restraint system that you chose.

 

What can I do?

Currently the GSA has opened up a comment section where the public can express their concerns regarding this new legislation.   Log onto this site and let them know how you feel and how this will impact your service.

To comment follow these five easy steps:

1. Click this link

2. Click the Documentation tab

3. Click on the Ambulances Document Category

4. Click on the comment button beside the
“proposed cn 8 for amb std – 1april2015.pdf” draft document

5. Follow prompts to register

 

Contact your state agency:

Contact your state and find out their position on this ruling, and if they are planning to take an exception to this section of the KKK specifications.

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