The Department of Health has purchased three new rapid response vehicles for the Emergency Medical Services, Health Commissioner Darice Plaskett announced Wednesday.

The vehicles include a Silverado truck and two Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs.

The Silverado can secure up to 10 backboards for emergency treatment and features a computer docking station for electronic data patient care reporting and enhanced documentation, according to Plaskett’s statement.

The truck will be an instrumental factor in response to mass casualty incidents, where it will be used to tow the Emergency Medical Services trailer that stores additional equipment and medical supplies needed to adequately respond to high casualty emergencies.

The SUVs will serve as rapid response vehicles to aid emergency medical technicians in their emergency responses.

The department is working to secure the same vehicles for the St. Thomas/St. John District, according to the statement.

The new emergency vehicles will ensure that EMS continues to meet and exceed national standards of pre-hospital emergency care, Plaskett said. These vehicles are classified as emergency response vehicles.

More information on these and other EMS operations is available by calling the VIEMS territorial coordinator at 1-340-773-1311 ext. 3051.