DETROIT — On Monday, Mayor Dave Bing announced that several businesses have pledged a total of $8 million to help the city pay for emergency vehicles that includes 23 EMS units and 100 police cars. 

Detroit, which has a projected deficit of more than $200 million this year alone, has had to cutback on emergency services in recent years, which in turn has slowed down emergency response time. Mayor Bing says the addition of the vehicles is part of an overall initiative to boost public safety.

Donors of the estimated $8 million includes Penske Corp., Quicken Loans Inc., General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC, The Greeks Foundation, Platinum Equity LLC and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

The police and fire departments welcomed the announcement, citing aging vehicles as a major obstacles that they’ve had to work with for some time now. 

“After years of challenges with aging EMS units that rotate in and out of service, a brand new fleet of ambulances will allow us to provide a higher level of emergency services to Detroit’s citizens,” Detroit Fire Commissioner Donald Austin said in a statement.

The first new police vehicles are expected to arrive within two to three months, while the EMS units may take an additional month or two. The donations will replace the entire fleet of the Detroit Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services Division.

The announcement of the new vehicles came on the same day bankruptcy attorney and turnaround specialist Kevyn Orr began his first day as Detroit’s emergency manager, under the supervision of the state.  Detroit has become the largest city in the country to come under such severe state oversight.