Acadian Trying Sprinters

     When an outfit like Louisiana's respected Acadian Ambulance Service puts paramedics in Dodge Sprinters, it's big news. It becomes even bigger when you learn how much the medics like them.

     Acadian, of Lafayette, has been using Type I Chevy ambulances almost exclusively since it was formed in 1971. But like all of us, the employee-owned, nonprofit company is grappling with the effects of a chaotic worldwide economy—and the undeniable impact of the earth's disappearing polar ice.

     You don't hear much about Acadian in the national news. Apparently they're not greedy, they don't build empires, and they don't get involved in scandals. Instead, they just seem to serve their communities (kind of the way we're all supposed to). Their 2,600 people didn't disappear during Hurricane Katrina. They remained in service and took care of the public, even as some of their own homes were destroyed. And, possibly as a result of that, the company continues to grow.

     Acadian provides ALS- and BLS-level EMS and other related services in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Responding from more than 100 locations, its personnel cover some of the world's toughest terrain in their own ground ambulances, boats, buses, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Bill Vidacovich, the company's vice president of fleet maintenance, oversees 260 ambulances and some 100 other vehicles.

     By the end of 2008, Vidacovich had two Sprinters in service as support vehicles. Wheeled Coach had built two more as ambulances (now stationed in Lafayette and Houma), and Acadian was building a third ambulance of its own (it builds six annually in its own shops). Vidacovich says widespread EMS experience in Europe has shown the Chrysler/Mercedes vehicles to be hardy, reliable and safe.

     Acadian typically has each of its Excellance (and, more recently, Frazer) ambulance boxes remounted several times during an average life span of 20 years, Vidacovich says. But last year's fuel crisis prompted the company to rethink its whole approach to fielding a fleet.

     The Sprinter was a sensible answer. Equipped with a five-cylinder Mercedes diesel power plant, its maintenance costs appear to be low, it's crashworthy, it provides a stable, quiet ride with plenty of power, and it averages 18–19 miles per gallon—about half the fuel consumption of a Type I or Type III. Acadian put its first in service in August, then a second in December. Since then, Vidacovich says he's received nothing but positive feedback from EMTs and paramedics alike.

     Paramedic John Rodrigue acknowledges the Sprinters are smaller, but says Acadian was able to fit all standard medical gear from a Type I into a Sprinter with no limitations using a 75-inch ceiling height and a conventional bench seat layout. He says crews especially like their maneuverability, visibility and smooth ride, and confirms there have been no negative comments from the field.

     Acadian's fuel costs skyrocketed in 2008, when the company logged 120 million miles. "We were just looking for alternatives," Vidacovich says, "and trying to figure out what we could do as a company to serve people better." The company's leadership consulted its workforce and received good acceptance for a trial period.

     CEO Richard Zuschlag says Sprinters have worked well in both BLS and ALS applications, although the company will probably always rely on box-style ambulances as critical-care transfer units. But Sprinters aren't the only option he's considering. Zuschlag says he's concerned about the consequences of committing to Sprinters, only to have Chrysler close its factories. Also, there's currently a six-month wait to get a Sprinter chassis.

     Diesel was once a logical choice of fuels, because it was cheaper than gasoline. But the fuel market has changed, and Acadian has been forced to reconsider. The company is leaning toward gasoline-powered GM vehicles. Leaders thought about natural gas, but were stymied by supply problems in rural areas. They are also interested in hybrids, as well as generally smaller ambulances that consume less fuel.

     "European ambulances have been smaller for years," Zuschlag says, "and they've been very successful. We have to find a way to bring down the cost of running calls."

     Whatever evolves, Zuschlag says, Acadian's strategy is to get away from a single ambulance design in favor of a fleet made up of various kinds of vehicles.

     For more: acadian.com.

     Thom Dick has been involved in EMS for 38 years, 23 of them as a full-time EMT and paramedic in San Diego County. He is the quality care coordinator for Platte Valley Ambulance Service, a community-owned, hospital-based 9-1-1 provider in Brighton, CO. Thom is also a member of EMS Magazine's editorial advisory board. Reach him at boxcar_414@yahoo.com.