Donated U.S. Emergency Vehicles Saving Lives in Ukraine

77: That’s how many donated surplus/used emergency vehicles have been sent to Ukraine so far, through the volunteer-run charity US Ambulances for Ukraine.

“That's eight fire engines, 60 ambulances and a host of SUVs and a few other vehicles, wheelchair accessible buses, and a surplus military-style trucks,” said charity founder Chris Manson. “The bulk of the vehicles have been fire engines and ambulances.” 

77 is certainly an impressive number, given that “we started with that very first ambulance way back in March of 2022, by me calling my local ambulance provider and saying, ‘Hey, I've got this crazy idea, can you help me out?’” Manson told EMS World. “Once we got that first ambulance on an airplane to Ukraine, people started to hear about it. “So I ended up having private ambulance providers donating ambulances, fire departments donating ambulances and fire engines, municipal ambulance services providing ambulances, and even individuals that had bought ambulances and were thinking about converting 'em into campers donating ambulances.” 

inHealth Ambulance Service of Valparaiso, Indiana was one of the EMS providers to answer Manson’s call, by first donating one of its older ambulances plus medical equipment in May of 2023, followed by a second ambulance in early 2024.  According to first responder letters sent from Ukraine, inHealth’s donated ambulances have saved many lives there, including “a firefighter who was having a stroke, and transporting an eight-month-old who needed a heart transplant,” said inHealth CEO Ron Donahue. “It's really humbling and fulfilling to know that the ambulances that we donated are making such a significant impact.” 

Making a Life-Saving Difference

The emergency vehicles that agencies donate to US Ambulances in Ukraine end up in many places.

“For instance, we donate the fire engines and some of the ambulances to professional and volunteer fire services in Ukraine,” Manson said. “We also donate ambulances to hospitals, and medic units that are working along the front lines.” 

Given the ferocity of Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, these donated vehicles are working hard in their new home.

“Just last night, I got pictures and an update on one of the fire engines that was working fire after fire caused by missile strikes in the Odessa region,” he said. “It would put out one fire, then the Russians would hit again and the Ukrainian fire crew would go there next. Meanwhile, the ambulances have been kept busy rescuing victims of those attacks, along with standard medical calls in Odessa and other parts of Ukraine.” 

Of course, the war in Ukraine is causing lots of human casualties and destruction of property — including some of the 77 donated emergency vehicles. “I'll get feedback like, ‘I've got some disheartening news: Your ambulance was destroyed,” said Manson. “But the good news is that, before it was destroyed in combat, your ambulance transported about 20 people a day for two months straight. So yes, it was blown up and the crew was wounded, but it transported [and saved] about 1200 people before that vehicle was destroyed.” 

Down to a Science

In its early days, US Ambulances for Ukraine shipped vehicles to that country by airplane. “But after the first five, for sustainability, we had to figure out a better way to do it,” Manson said, “So today we send large groups of them by roll on/roll off ocean-going ships. We’ve got it down to a science.”  

Even with this more economical approach, it can cost about $9,000 to pick up an emergency vehicle in the US, drive it to a port and roll it onto a ship, take it across the Atlantic Ocean to a European port, and then transport it from there to Ukraine. So donations of cash, along with vehicles, are most appreciated. 

The Power of Word of Mouth 

As for attracting new donations? Even though Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has largely fallen out of the headlines, US Ambulances for Ukraine is still receiving lots of donations.  

“Word of mouth really has done and is still doing wonders for us,” said Manson. “Ron Donahue and inHealth is a perfect example. We talked to him. He then donates an ambulance, one of his staff members goes with us to drive their donated ambulance into Ukraine, and comes home to tell everyone what they have seen firsthand: ‘Hey, this is what these guys are doing with these ambulances over there!’. The people who listen get inspired and end up donating ambulances, and it just spreads that way.” 

Three years in, the war in Ukraine shows no signs of ending. So the need for donated emergency vehicles continues.  

“The only caveat I have is that they’ve got to be operational,” Manson said. “These vehicles are going to land in Germany, be trucked to Poland, and then we're going to drive up 700 miles to get 'em to their final destination in Ukraine. So they have to be operational. They don't have to win a beauty contest. They don't have to be perfect, but the engine can't be messed up or anything like that. We pride ourselves on being able to say to our Ukrainian colleagues, ‘Here you go. Here are the keys.’ And we've seen these vehicles literally go from our dropoff point to the front lines and right into the fight.” 

To learn more about US Ambulances for Ukraine and how US vehicle donations are helping out, go here. “Your older model surplus vehicle can be the difference between life and death in Ukraine,” said Chris Manson.