CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Hampton Roads now has a new fleet of emergency vehicles to use in the case of a mass casualty incident or anytime a large number of people need emergency transportation.
In Chesapeake on Thursday, crews from Tidewater Emergency Medical Services Council and the Metropolitan Medical Response Team showed off the new buses. They are equipped with medical supplies and can fit 10 people in seats, up to nine on stretchers and two in wheelchairs.
They are ideal for responding to situations like emergencies at assisted living facilities or apartment fires. Last December, the older buses were on the scene in James City County during the massive pile-up on I-64.
There are now six brand new buses to replace older models. They’re paid for with grants from the Urban Areas Securities Initiative.
Stephanie Hacket, the program director for the Metropolitan Medical Response Team, talked about the new features.
“These buses, with the new capability of the wheelchair access, provide much more capability than the old buses,” Hackett said. “We are excited to be able to offer that to help support evacuations.”
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The buses are placed at fire and rescue facilities across Hampton Roads. They will be shared among the jurisdictions as needed. They will also be on standby at events such as air shows and marathons.
