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US Ambulances for Ukraine Donates 28 Emergency Vehicles to Embattled Nation—And Counting
What is a used U.S. ambulance actually worth? When it can help EMS personnel provide lifesaving aid in Ukraine, it’s priceless.
Making such a difference is why Chris Manson, VP of Government Relations for OSF Healthcare in Peoria, IL, founded US Ambulances for Ukraine in March 2022. “My seven year-old daughter was watching the news about Ukraine, and it pained her that the people in Ukraine were suffering the way they were,” he recalled. "She asked, ‘Hey Dad, is there anything that we can do to help?’ Well, we had seen that the Russians were targeting Ukrainian ambulances, so it made sense to find some used U.S. ones packed with medical supplies that could be sent over there.”
After receiving heartfelt support for the idea from the Ukrainian Embassy in the U.S., Manson approached Andrew Rand, CEO of Advanced Medical Transport (AMT), the ambulance provider in Peoria. “I called Andrew and said, ‘I have this crazy idea. I want to send a used, fully functional ambulance full of supplies over to Ukraine. He replied, ‘We're happy to help. We'll get you an ambulance. Do you want gas or diesel?’”
AMT’s generosity was matched by its willingness to provide medical supplies, along with OSF HealthCare, OSF Mission Partners (the company’s employees), the Peoria Fire Department, and first responders from as far away as Virginia.
By March 29, 2022, the fully packed AMT ambulance had been loaded onto a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and sent on its way, along with 356 pallets of supplies collected by the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America. Today, this ambulance is helping to save lives in eastern Ukraine.
Stepping Up to Help
Since that first delivery, US Ambulances for Ukraine has donated over 28 ambulances and one fire truck to Ukraine, with five more trucks and more ambulances in the pipeline. Some have been sent by air, others by ship.
For security reasons, the details of their transportation routes and delivery schedules are not being released. Manson and teams of American volunteers have gone over with these vehicles on three delivery trips to drive them from their European landing points into Ukraine.
“Overall, we have received donations from EMS/fire departments in 13 states,” said Manson. “All of them are providing us with vehicles that may be near the ends of their official lifespans as emergency vehicles, but which have lots of life left in them due to regular maintenance on the job. I've just been overwhelmed by the generosity of the EMS/fire community in answering this call for help. It is way beyond what I ever could have expected.”
Tripling Their Donation
On April 11, 2023, EMS World reported that inHealth Ambulance Service of Valparaiso, Indiana had donated a used ambulance packed with medical equipment and supplies to US Ambulances for Ukraine. This ambulance joined a group of ten such vehicles shipped to eastern Ukraine “to support medical evacuations of soldiers, civilians, and anyone who gets wounded in these combat areas,” Manson said.
Since that story was posted, inHealth was able to raise its donation level to three ambulances. “Besides our own ambulance that is now on its way to Ukraine, a nonprofit organization in our area gives us an ambulance that we're doing maintenance on to get it up and running,” said Ron Donahue, owner of inHealth Ambulance Service. “And then we have another ambulance of ours that we're going to donate. So three ambulances from northwest Indiana are going to save lives in Ukraine. These are higher-mileage vehicles that are still in great shape, and that have been well taken care of.”
The first ambulance that inHealth sent contained all kinds of items, including 13 cots, medical supplies, and yellow and blue braided bracelets made by local students for Ukrainians to wear as visible tokens of American civilian support. As many as 250 people from the community signed the outside of the ambulance, many using Google Translate to post encouraging words in Ukrainian.
“We even had a priest from a local church come out and bless the vehicle and all the supplies,” Donahue said. “People are really looking for a way to get involved to support the people of Ukraine. Thanks to Chris and his organization, a small town in Indiana is able to make a difference. That is huge for us and our kids.”
How to Help
The efforts of US Ambulances for Ukraine are inspiring many EMS and fire agencies to offer their own vehicles to address the humanitarian crisis in that country. The best way to help is to visit https://twitter.com/AmbulancesU to make contact or e-mail Manson at Christopher.m.Manson@osfhealthcare.org.
“If your department has an ambulance or fire truck that you can spare, that would be great,” Manson told EMS World. “Or if you don't have an ambulance, you can just spread the word.”
James Careless is a frequent contributor to EMS World.
Comments
Retired EMS officer here, with little money, but with time on his hands and a desire to help get more ambulances to Ukraine.
Sincere in Cincinnati,
Jeff