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The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk |
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#1 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Remember the days when vans were slow, uncomfortable, handled and braked poorly? These were some of the last vehicles in the world that you wanted to use for high-speed life-or-death emergencies.
Ambulance organisations instead used passenger vehicles converted (at considerable cost) into ambulances... Even today (mostly in Europe) with the big advancements in vans, many ambulance organisations still use modified passenger vehicles as ambulances. Some pics from around the world. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() My favourite: Citreon Tissier Ambulances ![]() ![]() Some pics from Australia, these were popular in the country areas (some based on utes) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Sun City, North Australis
Posts: 4,274
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If you do a search on eBay for Ambulances youll see some of these old sedan based ambos for sale.... some have been there for a while now.
The coachwork alone must cost a fortune, would be quicker to just use a minivan or plonk a big box on the back of an F series. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Falc...item1c1c28b0a0 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Holden-HQ...item35b285cd6e http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2000-Hold...item5ae0d05e23 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EX-AMBULA...item3cb8917533 I seriously considered getting an early F series as a tow vehicle.... but dammit got too many cars now as it is...
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You've seen it, you've heard it and your still asking questions?? Don't write off the Goose until you see the box going into the hole.... |
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#3 | ||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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And all the Sedan/Ute variants used in Australia in the last 2 decades have been vastly inferior to the current vans from a user perspective when compared to the F series/GMC or van (such as the new sprinter) variants for a number of reasons. Normally they are too small to carry the required equipment, the patient and more than 1 attendant. They are also often under powered, under braked and the suspension can not take the loads required and still handle with the required standard at speed.
Having worked in the Commodore LWB utility variety pictured I can tell you the power was woeful, the handling was more like a boat and they did not stop when you needed them too, we hated them. They were bought into service based almost purely on the fact that they cost half as much as a F series but their use was so limited they were not used as primary response units regularly and were most commonly used solely for inter hospital transfers. The Falcon variants were no better and in fact the brakes on the X series models were so bad they used to have to put warning labels on the windscreen warning the operator of how bad they were. Quite a lot of your pics there are very old and of machines no longer in use as primary response vehicles, many are used in airports and industrial areas or as interhospital transfer vehicles. I would definitely take the Mercedes Sprinter 319 over any of those, it is a vastly superior vehicle.
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#4 | ||
I am Groot
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Burnett Heads, Qld
Posts: 6,840
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.. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "Those were the days when the cars were cars, they weren't built out of an Ikea pack like they are now and clothed in plastic; they were real cars." John Bowe |
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#5 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Quote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCIp1GoS_uM&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d-T8...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0MRy...eature=related |
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#6 | ||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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That Merc is about 10 years old, we were still using Commodores in the roles I previously said at that time.
Some individual makes such as the Mercs may lend themselves well to ambulance use but they still have the severe limitation of a lack of size. Even our present Mercedes 319 can get very cosy inside with an active resus on board and 3 paramedics working on them, a really good trauma is worse. Have a look around at US and UK vehicles, they make our Mercs look small. Pictures tell a lot but I think the opinion from the people who have to operate them (not the bean counters that select them) would tell more about their effectiveness in the role. The australian experience is they are woeful and hence we do not have them anymore. They were so bad here that some of the commodore model clocked up considerably less mileage than the F trucks in double the amount of time because everyone used to refuse to use them. The ride was so bad (soft and wallowy) that it used to make the attendant in the back sick with the swaying around. I am having nightmares thinking about them. Have a look on this page, not many are based on a sedan or ute platform. http://www.google.com.au/search?q=am...w=1600&bih=797
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! Last edited by geckoGT; 05-06-2011 at 01:00 PM. |
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#7 | |||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,551
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Quote:
also, geckogt will confirm, but here in sa, and probably in most states, the service now use a fast response vehicle (forrester or territory etc) to reduce the wait time in serious cases. much better to do it this way than try to create a vehicle that does both. |
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#8 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
Often they are just additional resources that can be placed with a single operator in areas of expected high workload (eg night life locations on weekends) to provide initial response. Contrary to popular belief they really do not get to a case any faster than a Mercedes transport unit as they often have more trouble getting through traffic (they are not as easily seen) and the officer has to drive and navigate (we have one driving and one navigating). We often beat a responding officer in a sedan to a case, even if we are further away.
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#9 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,551
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this is going off topic, but is there any effort in getting some sort of device that transmits sirens onto car radios, like emergency messages in tunnels etc? the sirens seem very directional, and in todays modern cars, it can be very hard to hear them until they are right on you.
having said that, if you drive using your mirrors how you should, and have a degree of awareness, then generally you see them before you hear them, but to me the sirens just don't seem as effective as they once were. |
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#10 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
If people just used their mirrors as they were taught and turned their stereo down, there would be no need for such a device. Such a device would be a pain, how do you determine the range required for the intrusion? 100m would be adequate in city streets but no where near enough in country areas. 500m would be ok on the highway but people living in houses in city areas would not be able to listen to a radio in their house as sirens would constantly override it.
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#11 | |||
I am Groot
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Burnett Heads, Qld
Posts: 6,840
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Quote:
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.. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "Those were the days when the cars were cars, they weren't built out of an Ikea pack like they are now and clothed in plastic; they were real cars." John Bowe |
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#12 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Quote:
What about the Rumbler siren? You can feel it as well as hear it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdCmx...eature=related |
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#13 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Sun City, North Australis
Posts: 4,274
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Quote:
Trouble is people these days have a phone, ipod jammed in the ear, doof doof music at full volume, GPS warnings etc... that the "look out" people maintained is now gone. Plus the fact that sound proofing in cars these days is so good and that sirens are "less" louder you can barely hear an ambulance until its about 20m away. The other thing i found was that some of the older ambulances have got just all "strobes" which are kinda spaced out all over the place. While strobes (the LED type) dont draw as much current as the old rotating beacons, in certain lighting conditions stobes are very visible at all. I notice a lot of the newer Mercedes vans now have light bars again which are a hell of a lot more visible as the lights are concentrated in one area.
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You've seen it, you've heard it and your still asking questions?? Don't write off the Goose until you see the box going into the hole.... |
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#14 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#15 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
__________________
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#16 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 734
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#17 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: On The Footplate.
Posts: 5,086
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I'll just cut and paste a bit from a reply I put on another thread about a "car based ambulance" in Bundy back in the early 1980's...it was used before they had an aerial ambulance service to transport people to Brisbane for treatment as well as being an ordinary ambulance.
Quote:
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#18 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,021
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Directed to GeckoGT, I am curious, what is the most favoured ambulance of all time to work with?
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#19 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
My personal favourite is now the Mercedes Sprinter 319 that we have now, very comfortable, drives more like a car than a bus, has some grunt with the larger turbo V6 diesel and is just a superior vehicle in every way shape and form. Previous to this I was a bit split. The Ford F350 powerstroke was quicker with more grunt, more road presence (people got out of the way of the chrome grille), had more room inside and cornered better. Its competitor at the time was the Mercedes Sprinter (316 I think, the old shape), this was gutless and less sure in corners but it certainly had better brakes (the ford ones were woeful), more comfortable in the back, better aircon (it worked), better turning circle, easier to move down narrow streets and at least you could move and talk from front to rear (needed when supervising a student). I know most of the people that I work with feel the same way.
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#20 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,312
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the ambulance based here is a VW transporter.
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My ride: 2007 Falcon Ute BF XR8 Orange, MTO. |
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#21 | |||
Ich bin ein auslander
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loving the Endorphine Machine
Posts: 7,453
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Quote:
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Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional! |
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#22 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 10,838
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Quote:
One of my best mates has been working on this for the last 6 years They have trialled it here with Vic Police at Phillip Island 6 weeks ago and it is looking very promising Works on the same technology that as what is used here in the Burnley tunnel Vicroads, Vic Police are very interested. Will probably go to Emergency services as well. Problem with australia is that you have to deal with each state piece meal They are also in talks with the UAE regarding this technology |
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#23 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 10,838
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#24 | |||
Thailand Specials
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 49,097
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Quote:
CD player wins every time for me. |
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#25 | ||||
Captain Malcolm Reynolds
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 3,830
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If I ever have to go to hospital in one, and they try to put me in anything other than one of these:
![]() Then I think I'll take the option of dying on the pavement. At least in one of them, I know if Grandma Mavis is holding up the traffic, they can go straight over her and call another one to pick her up later.
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Currently: 2014 Mazda6 GT (Daily) and 1999 Mazda MX5 (Fun Car) Previously: 2001 Ford Escape XLT; 2010 MC Mondeo; 1984 FD LTD; 2001 AU2 Falcon Forte; 2005 LS Focus Zetec; 1988 RE Colt; 1982 RB Colt; 1974 KE20 Corolla Quote:
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#26 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: On The Footplate.
Posts: 5,086
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People not seeing the lights and sirens?
Hell, we used to sit behind them in a massive red fire engine at night, the surrounding area lit up flashing red from the lights, massive sirens and horns going, including two big bright red lights in the center of the grille where they would shine straight into the car in front, and Mr Numptie would just toddle along and not even notice us... ![]() |
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#27 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,199
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Quote:
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Now Ford-less ![]() But good things are coming in 6 months
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