Acadian Ambulance Service Inc.

25th Ambulance module fabricated by Acadian

Officials of Acadian Ambulance Service announced the complete construction of its 25 th ambulance. The company has been using the advanced capabilities and technology of its Fleet Maintenance Department to construct its own ambulances since 2002. Pictured from left is Vice President of Fleet Maintenance Bill Vidacovich thanking his department for their excellent work.

Also pictured are Acadian CEO Richard Zuschlag, Eric Lane of Gerry Lane Enterprises, Acadian Executive VP of Corporate Development Tyron Picard, Eric Meyers of GLE, Acadian President David Pierce, Lafayette Chamber President Rob Guidry and Acadian VP of Business Development Jay Pierret.

Officials of Acadian Ambulance Service announced today the complete construction of its 25 th ambulance. The company has been using the advanced capabilities and technology of its Fleet Maintenance Department to construct its own ambulances since 2002. According to Acadian CEO & Chairman of the Board Richard Zuschlag, the company has been replacing six ambulances each year with units constructed by their own people in the Lafayette facility. Before 2002, the ambulances were purchased. “Our technicians build ambulances that meet or exceed the most exacting requirements. Constructing our own ambulances means that the financial resources stay in Lafayette instead of going to out-of-state vendors, and our ability to offer gainful employment to local people is enhanced.”

The six ambulances built each year replace units being taken out of service, Zuschlag said. The company continues to purchase new units for fleet expansion from its present vendors.

Vice President of Fleet Maintenance Bill Vidacovich, a 35-year Acadian veteran with a degree in Industrial Technology from UL Lafayette, has spearheaded the venture. “Since the seventies,” he said, “we have refurbished our ambulance s modules when the chassis reach 250,000 miles of service. Constructing our own ambulance modules was the next logical step.”

Vidacovich said the company uses modular ambulances. The modules are mounted on a truck chassis that is replaced at the 250,000-mile mark. “The refurbishing process, performed on three of the company's 215 ambulance modules every month, is very involved. It has expanded the wide-ranging expertise of our staff and fully prepared us to build our own modules from scratch. The design of our prototype ambulance has been carefully examined and approved by a structural engineer.”

The Fleet Maintenance Department's body shop, Vidacovich said, employs 12 people whose responsibilities include refurbishings, cosmetic and collision repair including mechanical and safety inspections and other functions. A fully equipped fabrication department provides specialized equipment for other departments. Acadian also operates its own electronics department.

The body shop technicians who work in ambulance construction have designed and built such advanced equipment as a mock ambulance for training of new personnel. The device is identical to the floor of an ambulance. Besides the training function, it is used with other technology developed by Acadian to test the lifting capacity of employees who will be handling patients on stretchers.

Acadian personnel also designed and constructed the Acadian Med Cart, a fully equipped emergency vehicle configured on the chassis of a Cushman Industrial Vehicle very similar to a battery-operated golf cart. It is used at athletic events, fairs, festivals, parades and other gatherings where the size of the crowd would make maneuvering of a full-size ambulance difficult.

“We are blessed to have a team of highly skilled employees who have a wealth of experience and knowledge about ambulances,” Vidacovich said. “They work with the best tools and technology on the market. The ambulance modules that we build are of the highest quality possible.”