PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Ambulance Department has received four brand-new ambulances from the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA in collaboration with The Trust Fund.
This brings the total to six operational ambulances on the island, the cabinet of VSA Minister Omar Ottley shared in a press release on Tuesday.
According to the release, the new ambulances were chosen for their narrow-body frame, efficient fuel consumption and four-wheel drive capabilities, making the vehicles ideally suited to climb steep hills and manoeuvre on cramped, unpaved streets. The ambulances will be fully stocked with medical equipment and supplies to handle a variety of life-threatening emergencies.
Now that the vehicles have been delivered, ambulance manufacturer REV Group will soon be conducting training sessions with St. Maarten Ambulance Department personnel on the ambulances’ operations and maintenance. The training includes a “train-the-trainer” component, which will enable local ambulance workers to provide these training courses in the future.
“I am elated to be a part of this historic moment,” said Minister Ottley. “The arrival of the four state-of-the-art ambulances has been long overdue, however, the work behind the scenes has been constant and despite a few delays, the reality has come to fruition. This is another step towards improving healthcare for the people of St. Maarten.”
During the week of January 9, 2023, a training will be held to familiarise the ambulance crew with the new materials, like heart monitors, new stretchers, etc.
The St. Maarten Trust Fund is financed by the government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) on behalf of the government of St. Maarten.
