The community got the chance to see the new ambulance that they helped purchase for Pangman Emergency Services Thursday morning. The 4x4 ambulance, which is unique to the Sun Country Health Region, was on display, as was the new rescue truck purchased for the Pangman Fire Department.

A large portion of the money used to purchase the 4x4 option on the ambulance was provided through a donation from the estate of Eric Chester. His niece, Eileen Beres, explained that Chester's will only said that everything was to be left to charity, with no real direction. Money was donated to groups in Radville, Ceylon and Pangman, before the donation for the ambulance. "And the money that was leftover then, after Revenue Canada didn't want anymore, we were able to give the money for the rescue truck here," Beres said at the event Thursday.

The rescue truck was purchased from the Regina Fire Department, according to Pangman's fire chief Barry Kessler. The truck is expected to be used for many years. Kessler said it makes a welcome replacement to the converted ambulance that functioned as their rescue unit previously.

The 4x4 feature of the ambulance is not something that is readily available in the Sun Country Health Region, explained Murray Goeres, the Vice-President of Health Facilities in the health region.  It was something, though, that the community wanted to have available, given the varied condition of highways and grid roads in the area. "They raised the funds for it, we as a region supported the purchase. It was funded 100 per cent locally to add this particular option to the unit, and as such, we now have that unit here in Pangman," Goeres explained.

The new ambulance is already in service in the community, as is the rescue truck for the Pangman Fire Department.