Windham Town Council authorizes purchase of new ambulance

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Town Council unanimously approved a waiver of the bidding process and the purchase of a new ambulance for up to $465,000 from Autotronics of Madawaska during a meeting on July 14.

A schematic drawing shows the new 2027 Chief XL-III
E-Ford-450 ambulance that Windham has ordered from
Autotronics of Madawaska. COURTESY PHOTO  

Through this action, Windham will reimburse town funds from the proceeds of bonds to be issued in the future in an amount not to exceed $465,000 for the Original Expenditures related to the ambulance purchase.

During the Annual Windham Town Meeting on June 13, voters authorized the issuance of bonds and notes in anticipation thereof in a total sum not to exceed $3,905,000 and the appropriation of the proceeds to pay for various projects as set forth in warrant articles, with the details of such borrowing to be determined by the Town Council and approved the sum to be borrowed for the ambulance.

In a memo to Windham Town Manager Bob Burns, Windham Fire/Rescue Chief Brent Libby said that the town’s Fire/Rescue Department has been working with Autotronics of Madawaska since 2016 and is the authorized dealer for Braun Ambulances. He said the last three town ambulances have been purchased from the company, which also has completed two remounts for the department.

Libby said the Autotronics’ proposal for a new Windham ambulance would match current units exactly.

According to Libby, he asked town councilors to waive the bidding process for the purchase of a new ambulance so Windham Fire/Rescue can ensure that all town ambulances remain the same.

“I have confirmed with other departments that have made recent purchases with other vendors that our price quote is within the same range,” he said. “In times of emergency, training and operation having exact copies of these vehicles has proven invaluable for good patient care and operational efficiency. Since our first purchase in 2016, we have received excellent customer support, and the Braun product has been superior with minimal challenges.”

He said the company successfully remounted two Braun ambulance modules for Windham so far saving the entire cost of a new ambulance.

Windham’s Municipal Purchasing Policy specifies that town council shall approve and authorize any purchase beyond the amount provided for such purchase within the municipal operating budget or approved capital equipment replacement plan, and all purchases which are proposed to be funded through a lease-purchase agreement, the issuance of bonds or notes, or any other kind of credit financing.

A price quote for the new ambulance dated July 30, 2025 will be honored by Autotronics, Libby said, and includes the equipment needed for the town to obtain an in-service fourth ambulance. The purchase would include a 2027 ambulance, power-load stretcher and a stair chair.

“With an immediate order we can expect delivery in May/June 2027,” Libby said.

Windham Emergency Medical Services continues to provide a vital service to the community, Libby said.

“Looking back at the last four years of data, the most frequently served age group has been 70- to 79-years-old,” he said. “The average emergency medical incident lasts approximately 1.6 hours.”

In 2025 alone, Windham EMS completed 2,251 medical reports and transported 1,918 patients to medical facilities. Some 52.8 percent of calls for help involved emergency medical situations.

The three most common reasons for Windham EMS medical responses in 2025 were medical weakness-related emergencies, respiratory issues including shortness of breath, and cardiac-related concerns.

Windham Fire/Rescue currently operates three ambulances, a 2021 Ford E/Braun ambulance, and two 2024 Ford E-450 Braun ambulances.

Based in Maine, Autotronics was established in 1981 and became a distributor and service center for multiple specialty component manufacturers for many local municipalities. The company continues to grow and maintains a close partnership with vendors and manufacturers specializing in emergency vehicle design. <