By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The town’s Emergency Medical Service vehicles are white, blue and orange, but might soon get a little greener.

The Board of Finance last Wednesday approved a $160,000 appropriation for the town to purchase two new electric vehicles for the EMS, using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Police Chief Foti Koskinas presented the proposal to the board because Deputy Chief David Farrell, who also acts as EMS director, was busy with the Imperial Avenue incident in which two people walking along a sidewalk were struck by an SUV.

The request included two new Chevrolet Blazer electric vehicles with the police edition package, at $58,000 each, plus the installation of medical equipment at a cost of $20,000 each and charging equipment costing $4,000.

Koskinas said the electric vehicles would not be used as ambulances — noting the technology is not quite there yet for those — but for “fly cars.” EMS personnel use such vehicles to get to an emergency scene quickly with vital gear.

Koskinas said fundraising and billing from the EMS have enabled the upcoming purchase of three new ambulances, with all the required gear, for roughly a half-million dollars.

“If there was ever a time for electric vehicles, this is the perfect example,” Koskinas said. “These vehicles are housed inside, they go to a call, they come back, they plug in — they’re not on the road for extended periods of time.”

He said the new vehicles will have a 300-mile capacity. “They’ll be more than adequate for us to use in town.”

Board members had some questions about ARPA funding, warrantees, and what would be done with the two existing vehicles.

Koskinas said the younger vehicle, a 2018, would likely be used for light duty, and the older one, 2011, would likely be traded in or auctioned off on a government site.

The Board of Finance voted unanimously to approve the appropriation.

The appropriation will move on to the Representative Town Meeting, the town’s ultimate funding body.

Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 36 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.