Love County Acquires New Ambulance
Posted on Thursday, August 13th, 2026
NEW AMBULANCE: The Love County EMS District Board poses with the
county's newest ambulance on July 20, 2026. From left are Dr. Stephen
Hutchins, Connie Barker, Marcella Kirk, Lawrence Anderson, and Dana
Scott.
At its July 20, 2026 meeting, the Love County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) District Board stepped outside to inspect the newest ambulance in the fleet. It is the first to be equipped with an Auto Loader, an electronic lifting system for raising and lowering a patient stretcher into and out of the vehicle.
“This eliminates heavy lifting for our medics and is safer for patients, too,” explained EMS Manager Dustin Michael. The vehicle, a Type 1 ambulance, is mounted on a rugged truck chassis with the patient care module attached to the cab.
The ambulance also has the distinction of being the most expensive ever purchased by Love County, a sign of the times. Love County earmarks a sales tax of 1/20 of one cent to buy replacement EMS vehicles. But in this case, the Chickasaw Nation generously contributed $400,000 to cover the entire cost.
“We appreciate the Chickasaw Nation’s contribution,” said EMS Board chairman Dr. Stephen Hutchins. “This helps the community as a whole, and it continues our close relationship that has enabled us to form a second ambulance station (Station 2) plus a fire brigade at WinStar Casino to serve them.”
Station 2 also answers medical calls and assists on fire calls in the southern part of the county along I-35 from Red River to Exit 15.
Station 1 is located on hospital grounds in Marietta. The EMS Board holds an Advanced Life Support license, assuring the public that at least one paramedic is aboard every ambulance on every call. Love County has more paramedics than any other rural county in Oklahoma, and is the nation’s first hospital-managed EMS to form a fire brigade.
Mercy Health Love County hospital has managed EMS operations since 1994. A county property tax of 3 mills or 3/10 of one cent of the assessed value of property subsidizes a portion of EMS operations.
The hospital executed a contract in 2003 with the Chickasaw Nation to serve WinStar Casino. The hospital employs the paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, and first-aid attendants. “I like the synergy of having the ambulance and hospital under one roof so medics can help out in the emergency room between runs,” Dr. Hutchins said.
According to Michael the EMS answers about 3,000 calls per year, with the larger share coming from Station 2.
The EMS fleet now has a total of nine ambulances. Other EMS Board members are Connie Barker, Marcella Kirk, Lawrence Anderson, and Dana Scott. The hospital and the ambulance service are owned by the people of Love County. The County Commissioners appoint their respective Board members.