Advanced Life Support Ambulance Brings Mobile Hospital-Level Care to Pittsburgh Area

Partnership with Northwest EMS places specialized unit at Oakdale fire station

Feb. 5, 2026 at 6:55pm

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An advanced life support ambulance is now based at the Oakdale fire station in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, bringing hospital-level emergency medical care directly to patients in the community. The specialized unit is equipped with advanced cardiac monitors, life-saving medications, and airway equipment, allowing it to treat critical conditions like cardiac arrest, severe trauma, and respiratory distress on-site before transport to a hospital.

Why it matters

Having an advanced life support ambulance stationed locally can mean the difference between life and death for patients in medical emergencies, as it allows for critical care to begin immediately rather than waiting for transport to a hospital. This partnership between Oakdale and Northwest EMS aims to ensure the community has access to the highest level of pre-hospital care.

The details

The advanced life support ambulance is staffed 12 hours a day, Wednesday through Friday, and can respond to calls much faster than a standard ambulance dispatched from a more distant location. The unit is equipped with advanced cardiac monitors, life-saving medications, and airway equipment, allowing it to provide a level of care typically only found in a hospital emergency department.

  • The advanced life support ambulance unit is already responding to calls in the Oakdale area.
  • The specialized unit is staffed 12 hours a day every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

The players

Oakdale Hose Company

The local fire department that is hosting the advanced life support ambulance unit.

Northwest EMS

The emergency medical services provider that is partnering with Oakdale to station the specialized ambulance unit.

Jim Snatchko

The Oakdale Hose Company Chief.

Mikayla Jordan

A Lieutenant with Northwest EMS.

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What they’re saying

“You're talking about going from minimal care to a very advanced level of care, potentially within a few minutes if not sooner.”

— Jim Snatchko, Oakdale Hose Company Chief

“One of our stations is in North Fayette. We can probably get here in seven minutes, but if I'm here right now, we can get there in one.”

— Mikayla Jordan, Lieutenant, Northwest EMS

What’s next

The advanced life support ambulance unit will continue responding to emergency calls in the Oakdale area, providing critical care to patients in the community.

The takeaway

This partnership between Oakdale and Northwest EMS to station an advanced life support ambulance locally demonstrates a commitment to ensuring residents have access to the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care, which can be vital in saving lives during critical medical situations.