MCDONALD, oh - The McDonald Fire Department unveiled a new ambulance at an open house in their station Monday night.

The new ambulance will replace the oldest of the department's two EMS vehicles, which was acquired in 2006.

Fire Chief Fred Marcum says the new ambulance is equipped with the latest medical technology and will improve emergency responses thanks to the vehicle's built-in lifts.

"Everything is automated in the unit, so they're able to bring up the cot up to the patient, the cot lifts itself,...it gets lifted into the ambulance, and they're able to rapidly transport them to the end destination," he said.

The new ambulance costed about $210,000.

To purchase the vehicle, the McDonald Fire Department received $175,000 from the Trumble County Commissioners, $25,000 from the state of Ohio, and about $10,000 from the McDonald Firefighters Association, an organization that fundraises for the department's benefit.

Marcum tells 21 News that the McDonald fire received over 540 calls in 2025, a new record for the department.

He attributes this to the village's aging population, which requires more emergency responses.

The McDonald Fire Department also provides mutual aid to surrounding communities.

Marcum adds that the department has responded to more mutual aid calls in recent years due to a shortage of firefighters across local fire departments.

"That's why we call our mutual partners, and everybody relies on everybody else, so that we have the adequate amount of people to keep the scene safe, and provide assistance to everybody that needs it," he said.