Council Scraps State's First CNG Ambulance

California's first CNG ambulance has underperformed for firefighters in Palm Desert, leading the city's council to vote to ditch the compressed natural gas engine for a diesel one.

The ambulance, which underwent a study since its unveiling in January 2010, only puts out 82 miles per tank, well below the national average of 250 miles for diesel-powered emergency vehicles, according to Capt. Scott Visyak of the Riverside County Fire Department.

"It's sitting parked right now,'' Visyak said. "We need an ambulance.''

The city has four ambulances that run 24/7. There are also two backups, including the unusable CNG vehicle, he said.

In a 5-0 vote, the council voted to allocate $78,000 to exchange the CNG system for a diesel engine. The retrofit should only take about a month, Visyak said, adding that it is only used as a "last resort."

"Obviously, patient safety is clearly at risk,'' Councilwoman Cindy Finerty said before the vote.

The CNG ambulance initially cost the city $186,000 to convert the emergency vehicle.

The unit was built on a Ford E450 chassis by Frazer Ambulance at its Houston, TX facility over a six-month period.

The council also directed city staff to seek reimbursement of $75,000 from Frazer Ambulance because the vehicle performed below national standards.