(Omaha, NE) -- The Omaha Fire Department's fleet officially grew by one on Thursday morning.
At 7:00 Thursday morning, Medic 2 was put into back service for the first time in 10 years. The city of Omaha reinstated Medic 2, at Omaha Fire Station #1, to help carry the load for Medic 1.
The downtown area had only been served by Medic 1, with support from medic units stationed in northeast and southeast Omaha, for the last decade after being taken out of service by a former Mayor. In 2020, the Omaha Fire Department responded to 51,880 emergency medical calls. Medic 1 typically is one of the busiest medic units, answering 4,334 calls last year.
Mayor Jean Stothert's office says the cost to reinstate Medic 2 is approximately $700,000 annually, including equipment and personnel. The costs will be paid from the fire department’s general fund budget.
“The addition of Medic 2 is part of our continual evaluation of emergency response needs,” said Omaha Fire Chief Dan Olsen. “We are committed to the best equipment, training and personnel to serve the citizens of Omaha.”