By Leila Merrill
EMS1
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A donated Cedar Rapids ambulance full of sleeping bags and medical supplies will leave Monday for Ukraine, KCRG reported.
Instead of using a reseller, Area Ambulance Service is donating an ambulance that was ready for retirement as part of an effort by an organization called U.S. Ambulances for Ukraine.
”To now have 18 ambulances in Ukraine and possibly have another 10 ambulances and a fire engine that we’re going to send in December just kind of blows my mind,” said Chris Manson, Founder of U.S. Ambulances for Ukraine.
https://twitter.com/AmbulancesU/status/1595021674017165312
Area Ambulance crewmembers collected about 40 new sleeping bags since Russian attacks in Ukraine have been causing power outages. Community members and staffers donated the gear.
“They’re just really good folks with big hearts,” said Keith Rippy, CEO of Area Ambulance Service, which donated the medical supplies in the ambulance.
“It’s in very good shape; our mechanic went through it bumper to bumper,” said Rippy.
By next month, 29 ambulances will have gone from the U.S. to Ukraine, the news outlet reported.
https://www.facebook.com/AreaAmbulanceService/posts/pfbid02e7UXAk9HkxSLAKQfFYZGM4QHsKWNVLB5XzaCMv8mZTZ35Yp7X4WJHKjryYtBfnn6l https://twitter.com/AmbulancesU/status/1594823087606104064