No matter where an injured victim is, be it on a pedestrian trail or out in the woods, the Oxford Fire Department will now have the capability to do off-road rescues with their new All Terrain Vehicle (ATV).
Last week, the Oxford Township Board unanimously approved the $11,730 purchase of a John Deere HPX Gator utility vehicle complete with a Med Bed attachment for transporting patients.
‘I’m an equestrian, so we do off-road riding and I thoroughly appreciate them being able to get in and rescue somebody that’s been injured,? said resident Cathy McGeen.
The ATV will allow the department to do off-road rescues on the Polly Ann Trail and in hard-to-access places like Powell Lake Township Park, where the trails are narrow and include wooden bridges, or Oakwood Lake Park, where the trails are even narrower and not paved.
Fire Chief Jack LeRoy noted in some off-road areas, the soil won’t support the weight of a standard pickup truck.
In the winter, having an ATV will allow firefighters to get up and down side-roads that regular vehicles can’t due to heavy snow or ice. It will also aid firefighters during fires, particularly brush fires, by enabling them to haul extra gear and lay heavy hose on long driveways and side-roads.
Because the vehicle comes with a hydraulic lift for dumping, Asst. Fire Chief Pete Scholz said the vehicle can be used to assist with groundskeeping jobs around the fire station.