Off-road ambulance coming to Franklin County

Rescuing injured people in the middle of the 7,140-acre Juniper Dunes Off-Road Vehicle and Wilderness Area is now easier.

Franklin County Fire District 3 bought a special off-road vehicle to use as an ambulance in rugged areas.

The 2017 Honda Pioneer 1000 will be kept at the Pasco-Kahlotus Road station, and can carry two emergency medics to most remote areas that a regular ambulance can’t reach. Total cost for the equipped ATV was $23,688.

Fire Chief Mike Harris said Juniper Dunes is already a 38-minute drive from the station, and waiting for a helicopter to fly a person out may take extra minutes a patient may not have. Last year, the district responded to four calls for an ambulance in the wilderness area.

“This year we’ve already had three calls,” Harris said.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Off-road ambulance coming to Franklin County."