An investigation found dozens of ambulances in Charlotte, N. C., suffered from mechanical failure while responding to 911 calls and transporting patients to the hospital, according to a July 10 report from EMSI.com.
“That is alarming,” Jim Puckett, a commissioner for Mecklenburg County, N.C., told NBC Charlotte. "Anytime you have an ambulance that doesn’t make it to the hospital once they pick up a patient, that’s unacceptable."
Maintenance records showed several instances of ambulances being towed back to their headquarters, no longer able to be driven. The records also revealed 28 out of the 64 ambulances with mechanical issues had a MAXXForce Engine made by Navistar. Navistar is currently involved in a class action lawsuit recording the engines.
"If they were not replacing these engines as quickly as they could, then absolutely you get into the lawsuit," Mr. Puckett told NBC Charlotte. "Nobody wants to have concerns over something like their ambulance fleet."
Navistar has since agreed to replace the ambulances engines free of charge.
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