CHICKASHA, OK - The City of Chickasha will add a third ambulance to its fleet, which city officials believe will improve the fire department's ability to save lives as well as city funds, according to The Express-Star.

The brand new, medium-duty, generator-powered ambulance will be delivered early next year, and is manufactured by Frazer Built in Houston, according to the Star.

The city already has two ambulances with fewer than 50,000 miles on them, but its reserve unit has more than 200,000 miles. The current Chevrolet based ambulance will be put onto reserve and replaced with the new Dodge based ambulance.

The new ambulance is based on a Dodge 4500 diesel truck chassis, the same model as an ambulance the city already owns, Fire Chief Greg Gibson said. The use of a generator to power life saving equipment and air conditioning eases wear and tear on the engine and chassis, increasing its durability, he said.

The 14-foot "box" also has a built in oxygen system and at a cost of more than $130,000, it is a top of the line piece of equipment.

Chickasha's fire-based and city-owned ambulance service is one of only nine agencies like it in Oklahoma. Chickasha fire fighters are also emergency medical technicians, and that helps the city save on labor costs. And, it generates some $300,000 of profit for the city every year, officials said.

As long as the economy keeps up, ambulances can maintain a three-year rotation, which keeps equipment up-to-date and saves funds in the long run, officials said. Every three years, the company will send an ambulance back to Frazer to have the box refurbished and placed on a new chassis.

The city also has a new fire engine on order. It is scheduled to be delivered in November and will cost $575,000.

However, unlike ambulances, fire engines drive less miles and can be used for four or five times longer.

The oldest engine in the current fleet is more than 20 years old, reported the Star.