MANSFIELD — Mansfield lawmakers approved a contract Tuesday to trade in and upgrade the equipment inside the city’s ambulances, plus secure an extended warranty and maintenance agreement.
Council voted 7-0 to approve a $1.165 million contract with Stryker, a medical supply company based in Chicago, at the recommendation of Chief Dan Crow of the Mansfield Fire Department.
The agreement includes the purchase of all major equipment on city ambulances, including cardiac monitors, cots, load systems, CPR machines and stair chairs, the chief said.
Crow said the contract will also ensure the department’s EMS equipment is well-maintained, with no additional repair or service bills, for eight years. After that, equipment can be traded in or put on future maintenance contracts for up to 14 years.
“This equipment allows us to continue to give the best service that we possibly can with the best equipment,” he said. “(Upgrading) it all at once just allows us to train all of our people and make this implementation as seamless as possible across all of our different trucks.”
According to Crow, the warranty will cover annual preventative maintenance servicing, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part replacement, labor and travel expenses, battery servicing and replacement, loaners during repairs and software upgrades.
“It’s a big investment, but EMS is one of our most critical missions,” Crow said. “It’s about 87 percent of our volume. That’s 10,000 patients a year.”
Deborah Mount, who represents the 6th ward, spoke in favor of the upgrades. Mount serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, according to biography on the city’s website.
“I’m quite acquainted with the need to get things new, upgraded, in good working order,” Mount said.
“I use Stryker equipment a lot. The maintenance is what I find most absolutely necessary. To have that maintenance built in, we will more than use it and get our money’s worth out of it.”
Councilwoman Laura Burns asked Crow if he was concerned the equipment would become dated with the rapid rate of change in medical technology.
Crow said all the equipment has been released within the last year and that software tends to change more frequently than hardware. He noted the agreement does include software upgrades during the eight-year period.
Council awards nearly $5,000 in damage claims
Local lawmakers also voted to approve five damage claims from area citizens, each recommended for approval by council’s claims committee in April.
Council’s three-member claims committee consists of Rev. El Akuchie (3rd Ward), Shari Robertson (At-large) and Cynthia Daley (4th Ward).
Payments will be awarded to:
— Sheryl Ogden, 300 Westgate Drive; $1,885, for “damages to her basement due to the main line being flushed on or about Nov. 13 and Dec. 30, 2024.”
— James Matthes, 747 Glenview Drive in Howard, Ohio; $129 for “damages to his tire after hitting a construction area around the intersection of Wood Street and Cline Avenue on or about Dec. 25, 2024.”
— Christie Shaffer, 633 Woodhill Road; $749.60 for “damages to her basement from a water main break up and clean up (around) Feb. 7.”
— Jeff Wright, 3684 Anderson Road, Bellville; $1,028.93 for “damages to his vehicle after hitting a construction area around the intersection of Wood Street and Cline Avenue on or about Jan. 31.”
— Kelly Brock, 57 Broadway St., Shelby; $1,200 for “damages to her vehicle on Trimble Road (after) hitting a pothole on or about Feb. 9.”
The two claims by Mansfield residents due to damage in their basements were approved 7-0.
The three claims by non-Mansfield residents related to vehicle damages were approved 6-1, with at large councilman David Falquette voting ‘nay.’
Falquette said he was concerned about setting a precedent for awarding full claims on potholes.
“This claims committee is a real challenge,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of people that come in. They have sad stories. They may be down and out on their luck, they may be old, they may be young, they may be a thousand other things.”
Falquette said that in the past, council has tended to not pay out pothole-related claims or pay them out partially.
“If (the potholes are) not reported, the city is not responsible for them,” he said. “If they are reported, we have, like, 72 hours before we have to fix them.”
