A ceremony will be held next week at a Palm Desert fire station to show off a USD 186.000 compressed natural gas (CNG) powered ambulance, the first of its kind in the United States.

   The ambulance is based at Fire Station 71, located at Portola Avenue and Country Club Drive, because it responds to around 200 ambulance calls per month, according to David Hermann, a spokesman for the city.

   The Palm Desert City Council decided to explore the possibility of purchasing an ambulance powered by an alternative energy source when told last February that an aging diesel ambulance needed to be replaced, Hermann said.

   Because CNG-powered ambulances did not exist in the United States, city staff investigated whether one could be built, Hermann said. A committee comprised of city representatives, industry experts and officials from the Riverside County Fire Department studied the option and decided it would be the most efficient to create a CNG unit by modifying existing ambulance parts.

   The city purchased the equipment and Frazer Ambulance, a Texas-based company, and BAF Technologies converted the ambulance to use compressed natural gas, Herman said.

   The companies built the vehicle over a six-month period in Texas, according to Hermann. In December, the ambulance was brought to Palm Desert, where final changes were made to the vehicle.

   The ambulance was purchased with money from city funds dedicated for firefighting and public safety, according to Hermann, who added that the city has applied to federal grants to cut down the cost.