MAYVILLE — After losing an ambulance in a motor vehicle accident in January, Chautauqua County Emergency Medical Services has been authorized to buy a used one to replace it.

During the most recent county Legislature meeting, lawmakers agreed to the purchase of a 2005 Freightliner Ambulance from the village of Fredonia for its fly car program. The ambulance will cost $17,000.

On Jan. 13 at around 3:30 p.m., a county ambulance collided with a sport utility vehicle in the intersection of Fairmount and Dunham avenues in West Ellicott as it was responding to a call in the town of Kiantone. It did not have any patient in the vehicle.

No one was injured in the accident. The ambulance received heavy front-end damage and apparently is not fixable.

Legislator Lisa Vanstrom, R-West Ellicott, voiced her support for the purchase.

“I’m grateful that we have this opportunity to make a bad situation into a positive situation. I think we’re going to use this equipment for the best purposes possible,” she said.

Count Attorney Patrick Slagle said the insurance from the initial accident will be used to help offset the costs for the used ambulance.

According to County Executive PJ Wendel, all of the county ambulances are used and often come from other municipalities. “Fredonia just purchased a new ambulance, I am told, so they had one that they could sell and it worked out well for us,” he said.

Wendel said they will get the ambulance in service as quick as possible.