St. Joseph Health, St. Mary donates retired medical vehicle
From Staff Reports
One of St. Joseph Health, St. Mary’s retired mobile medical vehicles has been rehabilitated and will serve as the new mobile command post and secondary emergency operations center (EOC) for the Apple Valley Fire Protection District.
The vehicle replaces a 1964 converted school bus/bookmobile, that the AVFPD describes as grossly inadequate for its needs and has become too costly to keep mechanically operational.
Apple Valley Fire Protection District Chief Sid Hultquist thanked the medical center in a written statement, calling the donation generous.
“The use of this vehicle will greatly enhance the fire district’s ability to manage major incidents and provide for back up communications in the event of a disaster throughout the town of Apple Valley and surrounding unincorporated county areas within the fire district,” Hultquist said. “The collaboration and relationship between St. Joseph Health, St. Mary and the fire district has always been outstanding; these types of partnerships are vital in providing outstanding, cost effective service to the community.”
The fire district, the Apple Valley Unified School District and the town are part of a formal partnership to address disaster preparedness and response. The new mobile command post will be an integral part of the overall disaster plan that serves more than 80,000 citizens and covers an area of more than 200 square miles.
“The spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange has always been one of collaboration, partnering to fulfill a need,” said Paul Kaminski, vice president of St. Joseph Health, St. Mary Foundation. “This is just one example of the many ways that St. Mary extends its mission into the high desert community.”