Old Orchard Beach Fire Department recently got word they’d received a $50,000 grant designed to help pay for a new ambulance through a USDA Rural Development program. Here, a view of some of the department’s equipment through a window. Old Orchard Beach Fire Department Photo

OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Ask any fire and rescue department and they will tell you, buying a new ambulance, or any other type of fire or rescue equipment, can be expensive.

Many communities tuck money away in their Capital Improvement Plans annually, accumulating funds over time to make the purchase, as does Old Orchard Beach.

“We’re very fortunate to have a town that realizes the importance of these vehicles,” said Old Orchard Beach Deputy Fire Chief Robert Slaving.

But when there’s a way to ease the burden on local taxpayers, town officials will look to so. When a grant opportunity came along through USDA Rural Development, Slaving applied – and recently learned the department had been awarded $50,000 toward the purchase of the ambulance.

With the cost of the new ambulance, a power stretcher and power load system coming close to $340,000, the grant will help.

“The new ambulance will replace a 2014 model that has close to 160,000 miles on the odometer,” said Slaving. He said the town, which has a year-around population of about 8,600 that swells to as much as 35,000 in the summer, runs two front line ambulances 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and has a spare available if one of them is out of service.

“Another key part of having this grant and getting the new ambulance is that we were able to upgrade to enhanced air quality, to benefit patients and firefighter paramedics,” said Slaving, a feature unavailable before COVID-19. As well, the cab is separate from the patient compartment.

The grant to Old Orchard Beach is among $1 billion invested in 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, and is one of four  Maine projects  to receive funding through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant Program. The others include $106,000 to the YMCA of Old Town and Orono to replace the facility’s fire alarm system; $12,300 to the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum for a new digital road sign; and $20,400 to the St. Agathe Historical Society for restoration of the one-room Longfellow school that dates to the 1920s.

The USDA also announced a $2.5 million Community Facilities Direct Loan for Wolfe’s Neck Farm Foundation Inc. in Freeport for construction of an education, training, and research facility.

“These loans and grants will help rural communities invest in facilities and services that are vital to all communities, such as health care facilities, schools, libraries, and first responder vehicles and equipment. When we invest in essential services in rural America, we build opportunity and prosperity for the people who call rural communities home,” USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh said in a statement.

Slaving, in Old Orchard Beach, said the new ambulance, a Ram Diesel 4 x 4 Braun XL ordered the latter part of July, is in the process of being built.