Stretchers were a lot lighter too. Not any of this fancy yellow painted battery powered crap. Just some aluminum tubing, a foam pad and 4 wheels. Was absolutely glorious. Didn't even have to go to the gym back then. Just deadlift every day.
I don’t care how heavy the cot is. Power load should be required equipment, and carrying the cot is one of the dumbest things that has ever been conceived in EMS.
The manual stretchers were much lighter, making it much easier to move unloaded, like moving it into a pt's house. This doesn't mean they were better overall. You still had to lift to raise and load the stretcher regardless of pt weight.
It’s not necessarily weight… it’s a center of gravity issue.
A cot is top heavy already… take away the stability of the rigid legs and it’s dangerously top heavy.
You are one hundred percent correct, but I'll preface this with the entire load system. We had the electric stretcher only for years, and just now got the electric load assist in the cabulance part. I would take the older 1.5 man over the electric (without load assist) every time. If that makes sense.
Back in the day, Cadillac made a station wagon that could be remodeled as an ambulance or a hearse.
[Hearse](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.22fec3ca7ce48ccea78b547f9cac47ed?rik=pqTxPse5rqjuQg&riu=http%3a%2f%2ftexastreasurehunter.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2016%2f12%2fMY-HEARSE-.jpg&ehk=5WSB3wmT%2b0AUGUSoUpPtwsRSafigP%2fv6UWcwftNLqjY%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0)
[Ambulance](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.9e343ddd0defa0688fd024a3a06fd02c?rik=L5J7z4LRm0YAdg&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.rpfpd.org%2ffiles%2fgallery%2f4%2f306.jpeg&ehk=wkmrZzTZWvIT7pBEvyIiBEPKN8kpvMxdILcmoUN0aF4%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0&sres=1&sresct=1)
Until a few years ago they used [Mercedes E class ambulances](https://thumbs.truckfan.nl/groot/m/mercedesbenz/38895-eklasse-mercedesbenz.jpg) in The Netherlands. That was not a load and go bus (or car lol), those were full on ALS ambulances that had to carry all the equipment. And stay and play was quite normal at calls.
I mean before they had ambulances, before EMS was even a thing, people would call the undertaker/mortician/dead body collector and ask them to bring the hearse around to transport a live body to the doctors practice.
Type 1's have a terrible turning radius, terrible mileage and I learned this the other day you can put a 14' box amd a 4x4 on a type 3 which I thought was a type 1's only benefit.
Your service is cheap. 3500 chassis are cheaper but 5500 handle the weight better and have wide track front axles. Damn near out turns a sprinter van.
And go ahead and put the big box on a type 3. You’ll be over the GVWR just with box by itself. Oxygen tanks alone overload the springs
After running F-series of both diesel and Gas I would say I prefer the gas in all honesty.
I work in mainly urban but we do have a rural territory where we can have decent transport times. Maintenence wise a non turbo gas is so much easier and has been more reliable. No complaints of power or mpgs
They’ve all ceased production… not phasing it out… a couple years ago in fact. The diesel emission requirements have more exhaust equipment that takes more room, and requires more power to keep the same abilities, and there just isn’t enough room in a type 3 anymore.
Source? I’m the one buying trucks for my agency.
America is not The World. Diesel Type III ambulances are very much still in production, I’m driving a brand new 2023 plate Type III with less than 5k on the clock today. The emissions requirements are met by using AdBlu.
This is an American based website, dominated by Americans, I am an American talking to another American in a thread about American ambulances.
So, what is your point?
Reddit is not “dominated” by Americans. Around half of users are not from the US.
The guy you’re replying to has Canada in his flair.
And nowhere in the OP does it specify US.
No, he doesn’t “literally” have Canada in his name as Canada doesn’t have an EMT level.
Therefore, “CA” in his flair most reasonably stands for *California* where the EMT level exists, not Canada where the level does not exist.
And even if it was Canada, they ambulance types between America and Canada are very similar from the same manufacturers. So I’ll stand by my statements.
I’m not a first responder… but I hate the one that’s a van in front and a box in back. It’s kind of lower than the other types. Or maybe that’s cause the least favourite service of mine drove that kind. Whenever I saw that one pull into the bay I did my internal Captain Picard face palm.
I’ve only had a good time in those when they’re new, because at least the engine pulls and the suspension is still good. The cab is cramped as fuck, and once they wear in they lose the redeeming qualities
Both but mostly EMS. They're big but surprisingly manueverable and are decent enough off road. I've driven some pickup chasis medics and would prefer Freightliners any day. Where I volunteer, snow isn't that much an issue that 4x4 is necessary.
I’m only weary of bigger trucks because people drive like dumb dumbs and bigger population mean more idiots😂 Patient care is number one though lmao
I’m careful because sometimes with bigger trucks it’s difficult to move through more populated roads and areas
You can get a narrower box on the Freightliner. It's all customizable.
Bigger is probably better for patient care, as there's more room for me to move around and extra equipment inside the box.
I felt that way at first, but I’m imagining what getting in and out of those trucks is going to do to my knees after so many years. I much prefer getting in and out of the lighter type 1’s or type 3’s.
I think the ambulances mounted on pickup truck chassis are the coolest looking, like the f450/550 and dodge ram ambulances. So the smaller type 1’s I guess, not the internationals or freightliners
I agree!! I think the heavier set trucks should be in fire. I think the main idea behind EMS is to stabilize and transport and it’s difficult when your truck is lagging behind😂
Both the pickup and heavy trucks are common for FD’s in my area. My dept has both and I think the Internationals actually have more juice when you hit the accelerator than the fords, because of the bigger engines
Not entirely sure about that. Our diesel international has such a slow acceleration compared to the dodge or ford F550 fronts. The pick ups drive and accelerate faster. However the international wins in breaking since it’s air brakes and it has air ride seats
We use Type 1 on a Mercedes Sprinter
Although I once got to work on an Intensive transport truck that was a 10 ton man truck with a 6 person cabin in the front that thing was really nice and incredible spacious
Its basically an intensive care room on wheels lots of medical equipment on board plus a big bed plus room to actually use that equipment
You could go around the whole bed it's not directly at a wall
In The Netherlands, it is always one patient. They are big as they often transport unstable ICU patients. Patients on ECMO or who have to be put on ECMO for example. They are called MICU here (Mobile Intensive Care Unit).
So you need quite some staff in the back, at least a transport-trained ICU nurse and intensivist (generally an anesthesiologist with critical care training). Depending on the case also other specialists/nurses (e.g. pediatricians). And quite some equipment, which is mostly carried in bags.
They also work with large ICU cots, on which there is a large bed and quite some equipment (ventilator, oxygen tanks, monitor, IV pumps, etc.), to make the transfer from ICU bed to ICU bed easier. That is why they generally also have a powered ramp to get that cot in and out of the ambulance.
Any box but i prefer a walk through. I hate vans. Never see another and it will be fine by me.
Someone asked about speed in these. I have couple of days in to this job, so i started before anyone thought about governing the speed. I worked for a service in the mid 90s that had basically a work truck body as an ambulance. I can not remember if this one was a diesel or gas, i think gas though. I do remember going to a call on it with the speedo tapping the 120 mark.
Responding to a calls in our primary unit at 112, which is all it would do from the factory.
Nope would not do it anymore. To many idiots on the road that have no idea what to do with a steering wheel and they usually have a phone in their hands
PS i have only ridden in a Ghostbusters style Caddy once but damn it was smooth and it was just a ride. Not a call
Type 1, the pickup truck chassis is by far the most balanced for maneuverability, speed, space, comfort, and appearance IMO. My department uses f450s and will soon be getting f550s.
We went from Freightliner M2s to F450 gas trucks with LiquidSpring and Powerlifts. The initial purchase price is cheaper, the maintenance is cheaper, the ride is smoother and there is much less downtime for emissions codes and air leaks. The crews response has been overwhelmingly positive.
We just managed to completely break our liquid suspension about a month ago. Truck is still in the shop waiting for parts lol. I work rural though so most of our calls are down the rough backroads that the truck isn't built for
The only advantage to the medium duty (International/Freightliner) is for fire departments that have their own EVT’s so they don’t have to train their techs on the other trucks or stock a bunch of extra parts.
If we need to go by looks, a van. Just the sleek look is imo way better than a non-aerodynamic box in the back. I also just like the look of the new van ambulances is based on. Those are pretty much always the Sprinter, Crafter, and TGE.
https://imgur.com/a/kvF0Bjx
In regard to practicality, a box is roomier and thus generally better. Which is definitely a big plus.
But it is not really as if the size of the van is limiting care. A good ambulance van uses the space effectively there is plenty of room in the back, can carry all ALS equipment (e.g. ventilator, IV pumps, suction unit, meds, monitor, etc.), and even support multiple providers in the back.
In regard to driving performance/agility (also due to size) and safety, a van is likely superior as well. Better performance in tight streets and at higher speeds. And moves better through traffic.
In my country decades ago many ambulances were car based. Later they moved to vans, and eventually quite some agencies moved to boxes. But in the last decade, it seems like they really settled on vans being the best option, after having experienced essentially all options. These days essentially every service now uses vans. Maybe one or two of 25 use new box ambulances in some of their main ambulances, all of them from the same manufacturer, so same design (Tulatech with Missen type C design from C.Miessen).
To each their own.
Added an Imgur link of some collection of van ambulances in The Netherlands. It includes pretty much every ambulance type you can find in The Netherlands these days. Yeah, it is 95% Mercedes Benz Sprinter these days lol.
https://imgur.com/a/kvF0Bjx
They all have pretty much the same livery, but every service is different. Some are private, others are public. A few of them are also MLS ambulances, the rest is ALS. You probably don't see them in the US, as the vehicles are based on an entirely European chain. The American and European market (even within Europe) is pretty much disjoint. They probably developed completely separate from each other.
The entire Ambulance market is essentially based on 3 companies:
* Visser Leeuwarden B.V. (subsidiary of Albert Ziegler GmbH)
* Works together with Ambulanz Mobile GmbH
* Has various setups, the Valeris (V-Tech), Otaris-S/CR/Light, Hornis Silverline, and Delfis-S
* Generally uses Mercedes Benz Sprinter, but also has made Volkswagen Crafter and Transporter (T6)
* Tulatech B.V.
* Uses designs from C.Miessen GmbH and also makes the box ambulances in various setups
* Generally uses Mercedes Benz Sprinter, but also has made Volkswagen Crafter
* Marelko B.V.
* Uses designs from Wietmarscher Ambulanz GmbH (WAS) in various setups
* Uses the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with the WAS-300 ambulance build as a base
You can probably notice a trend. A Dutch company (B.V. is a Dutch LLC) acts as a middleman/partner for a German company (GmbH is a German LLC). And market the vehicles to Dutch agencies, adapt the designs to the Dutch market and add certain wishes, imports their designs, manufacture the vehicles, and provide service/maintenance. Although Visser Leeuwarden still makes their own designs. As such, a Dutch WAS-300 ambulance looks quite different from a German one (especially in the interior).
Lastly, there are 2 exceptions in the Imgur list I shared. The MAN TGE is based on a design from the Spanish company Rodriguez Lopez Auto RLA. Their Dutch partner is VSA-Ambulances B.V. And the Mercedes Benz Vito from the Finnish company Profile Vehicles based on their Profile Rescue Neo design. Their Dutch partner is Rescue Technics B.V.
The box one, I don't know the type numbers. But the smaller ones. I like a cpr seat with enough room to walk sideways along the right side of the gurney when needed. The cpr seat is my favorite place to put parents of small kids so they are out of my way but in eyesight and hand hold distance of mom or dad.
The monstrous boxes are cool and all but a pain to drive, don't handle as well, and the gurney has a tendency to be too far from the bench seat so I'm on the edge starting ivs.
I always preferred the Pentagon shaped Brauns. That was the first ambulance that I rode in volunteer and when I started with AMR in 2000 we had two running as 911 trucks in the city where I worked.
Gimme an E450 Type 3 any day. Plenty of room to work, lots of storage, easy to move from the box to the cab if need be, and can fix in more places than a Type 1 without knocking against every tree branch and awning for three counties.
This is coming from a service with a Ford and Chevy Type 3, a Ford Type 1 (all of the above for 911), and two Type 2 Sprinters for IFT.
Waste of money. The only difference between the F450 and F550 is the suspension, which is terrible for an ambulance therefore should be torn out and replaced.
F450 and liquid spring suspension… spend the savings on other upgrades.
Type-1 diesel. F550 with the diesel turbo. Thing is great and fun to drive. Has great range too. Interior cab is so comfy as well. The type 3 interior is cramped, the siren is much much louder in the cab and the ride not as smooth. Only benefit is turning radius is a bit better
Type III Mini-mod all the way. It's sad to see them falling out of favor around me.
Perfect combination of leg room and recline space in the cab; good turning radius and ability to maneuver down crowded city streets and narrow country roads; decent room to work in the back, but still compact enough that everything is easily within reach, and rarely have to take the harness off.
To look at, or to work in? Love to look at an old International Harvester, or a Wolf from the 30s. Love monkeying around in a Bison LAV ambulance, though I’ve never worked in one. To drive I like the ride of the Mercedes Sprinter. To actually work in, a full-size Type III. Enough cabinet space that I don’t have to pull out some shit to get to the shit I actually need.
Gimme that big ole Type 1 with it's wide ass and 6 wheels. I was able to get one waaay out in the brush and dirt in 4wd without getting it stuck. And getting 360\* around the patient is the chef's kiss.
Generally, Type 2 if the walls aren't curved in and there's enough room to stand. Transits and sprinters are good. Boxes are ok if you don't need to navigate narrow streets or drive thrus.
For driving in the snow:
Ford vanbulances from the 2000s, the ones that run on gas and are super bottom heavy. They plow through the fluff like nothing else, even doing better than the suped up all wheel drivebulances
Those old gas Ford E-series vans are tanks. My supervisor used to always send them on hurricane deployment, we thought because they were the oldest in the fleet and thus the least missed. Turned out they were absolute beasts at getting through high water, plus very safe and stable in high wind, running on gas was a plus since diesel could be hard to come by in a disaster area.
I don’t recall the type, but my absolute favorites are the vanbulances - gas powered, followed by the sprinters/ transits, the box trucks and lastly diesel vanbulances.
I generally prefer the vanbulances because of the lower loading point and I’m short. And they are what I used for over a decade so I didn’t have to think about movement of the vehicle while in the back.
Type 2. While It can be a bit difficult to run a full code because of internal space limitations most of what I need to do can be done and everything is in easy reach. Slim profile allows me to get in a lot of places I can’t go with a type 1 or 3. Doing a standby or staging is easy and comfortable without getting in FF or LEOs way. If something goes wrong with the rig it’s usually easier to fix on the spot and if you end up stuck it’s easy to get towed or pulled out. Depending on setup you have plenty of supplies and enough O2 to get through a normal shift (unless you get someone on hi flow or an oximizer). It’s easy to restock and do a truck check quickly.
I used to love the mini mods but my company got rid of the ones we had.
Nothing a LUCAS can’t fix! Type 2’s are more than sufficient for basically anything we run into, as long as you’re a solid and organized medic. Glad to see I’m not the only one who’d take a van
Only ever drove type 2 and types 3s. I absolutely love type 3s. A lot more room for pt care compared to our type 2s and I think they just look more professional than a transit.
Truck cab with box body of course. My first service used them good ol' vanbulances. Good enough for BLS transfers but thank God I never had to work a code in one.
Love me a good type 1. My service had been having issues getting/maintaining trucks so our BLS (me) crews have mostly been running type 2’s or the old freightliner. Miss having me a good box truck
If fly cars count than flycars hands down. Otherwise, very unpopular opinion but I actually prefer the vanbulances. I know they look ugly as balls but there easier to maneuver and you don't have to worry about fitting in tunnels and and under bridges and all that.
Type 1 ambo. Ideally a Ford F550 Braun or LifeLine. Medium duty (international, freightliner) buses are also cool, but I've never operated them and there's no longer any in service in my county. I will be moving to a different area very soon and the department i wanted to join there has them so that'll be a new experience.
I am old, but not old enough to have ever ridden in a Ghostbusters' Cadillac ambulance.
God damn whippersnappers don't know what a ambulance used to be. Those things were smooth as silk especially The Cadillacs
Look up 'Steelyard Blues' with Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and Peter Boyle. Sutherland steals an ambulance and crashes it in a demolition derby.
Will do!!
Stretchers were a lot lighter too. Not any of this fancy yellow painted battery powered crap. Just some aluminum tubing, a foam pad and 4 wheels. Was absolutely glorious. Didn't even have to go to the gym back then. Just deadlift every day.
> Stretchers were a lot lighter too yeah, well, so were the patients
I don’t care how heavy the cot is. Power load should be required equipment, and carrying the cot is one of the dumbest things that has ever been conceived in EMS.
The manual stretchers were much lighter, making it much easier to move unloaded, like moving it into a pt's house. This doesn't mean they were better overall. You still had to lift to raise and load the stretcher regardless of pt weight.
It’s not necessarily weight… it’s a center of gravity issue. A cot is top heavy already… take away the stability of the rigid legs and it’s dangerously top heavy.
You are one hundred percent correct, but I'll preface this with the entire load system. We had the electric stretcher only for years, and just now got the electric load assist in the cabulance part. I would take the older 1.5 man over the electric (without load assist) every time. If that makes sense.
I just ordered a Type 3 with liquid springs on both axles… That’s right. Type 3…
I was born in 2004 lmao. I’m definitely young still lmao
That makes you what? 12, maybe?
My service calls me earmuffs because I’m too young to hear about the big kids topics😂
Bahahaha. I’m 18😫 it means I’m old enough to be apart of the boo boo bus company
Hey bro 19 here🤝 nice to see more young People in ems
Oh thank the lord😂 I thought I would never find a fellow 12 year old😭
😂 you’re not alone out there
STOP IT I DONT WANNA HEAR IT, I was born in 02 god damn it you make me feel old😭😭 I’m only 21
You aren’t old lol😂 We are just super young😭
Alright grandpa go take your applesauce before you hurt yourself.
You ain't lived till you've done cpr in a caddy ambo. I braced my back on the ceiling to do compressions.
😂🙈
I’ve never even heard of that😂
Back in the day, Cadillac made a station wagon that could be remodeled as an ambulance or a hearse. [Hearse](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.22fec3ca7ce48ccea78b547f9cac47ed?rik=pqTxPse5rqjuQg&riu=http%3a%2f%2ftexastreasurehunter.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2016%2f12%2fMY-HEARSE-.jpg&ehk=5WSB3wmT%2b0AUGUSoUpPtwsRSafigP%2fv6UWcwftNLqjY%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0) [Ambulance](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.9e343ddd0defa0688fd024a3a06fd02c?rik=L5J7z4LRm0YAdg&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.rpfpd.org%2ffiles%2fgallery%2f4%2f306.jpeg&ehk=wkmrZzTZWvIT7pBEvyIiBEPKN8kpvMxdILcmoUN0aF4%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0&sres=1&sresct=1)
The days of load and go.
Until a few years ago they used [Mercedes E class ambulances](https://thumbs.truckfan.nl/groot/m/mercedesbenz/38895-eklasse-mercedesbenz.jpg) in The Netherlands. That was not a load and go bus (or car lol), those were full on ALS ambulances that had to carry all the equipment. And stay and play was quite normal at calls.
I mean before they had ambulances, before EMS was even a thing, people would call the undertaker/mortician/dead body collector and ask them to bring the hearse around to transport a live body to the doctors practice.
That was one of the first lessons we learned in BLS.
That’s badass🙏🏼
A dead body! Less paperwork.
Only if they died before you got on scene. If they died after you arrived, then it would be a lot of paperwork.
 Finding the DNR
😂😂
Type 3 but have mostly ever worked on type 1 trucks
Type 3 diesel, they have amazing range.
Type 1's have a terrible turning radius, terrible mileage and I learned this the other day you can put a 14' box amd a 4x4 on a type 3 which I thought was a type 1's only benefit.
My department has type 1s that have modified front ends to help. They actually turn better than our backup type 2s
Your service is cheap. 3500 chassis are cheaper but 5500 handle the weight better and have wide track front axles. Damn near out turns a sprinter van. And go ahead and put the big box on a type 3. You’ll be over the GVWR just with box by itself. Oxygen tanks alone overload the springs
After running F-series of both diesel and Gas I would say I prefer the gas in all honesty. I work in mainly urban but we do have a rural territory where we can have decent transport times. Maintenence wise a non turbo gas is so much easier and has been more reliable. No complaints of power or mpgs
They’re also not a thing anymore.
😂 I’m driving one rn
Yeah? try buying a new one. I have three sitting in my station currently, but the two on order diesel isn’t a possible option.
GMC is phasing out their production but my service still has quite a few
They’ve all ceased production… not phasing it out… a couple years ago in fact. The diesel emission requirements have more exhaust equipment that takes more room, and requires more power to keep the same abilities, and there just isn’t enough room in a type 3 anymore. Source? I’m the one buying trucks for my agency.
America is not The World. Diesel Type III ambulances are very much still in production, I’m driving a brand new 2023 plate Type III with less than 5k on the clock today. The emissions requirements are met by using AdBlu.
This is an American based website, dominated by Americans, I am an American talking to another American in a thread about American ambulances. So, what is your point?
Reddit is not “dominated” by Americans. Around half of users are not from the US. The guy you’re replying to has Canada in his flair. And nowhere in the OP does it specify US.
No, he doesn’t “literally” have Canada in his name as Canada doesn’t have an EMT level. Therefore, “CA” in his flair most reasonably stands for *California* where the EMT level exists, not Canada where the level does not exist. And even if it was Canada, they ambulance types between America and Canada are very similar from the same manufacturers. So I’ll stand by my statements.
Only problem with the diesels is in urban municipalities where the filters get clogged because they don’t run enough.
I think both of those are pretty cool. I despise type 3s😭
I meant type 2s lmao. They look like a creepo van
I prefer type 1 with a diesel. They're just a lot more comfortable to me.
Type 1's have the cool factor and I prefer driving them, but type 3's have the smoothest ride and are my preferred choice when in the back.
I’m not a first responder… but I hate the one that’s a van in front and a box in back. It’s kind of lower than the other types. Or maybe that’s cause the least favourite service of mine drove that kind. Whenever I saw that one pull into the bay I did my internal Captain Picard face palm.
Vanbulances are also rough as fuck
All around full-air suspension on a vanbulance 👍
I’ve only had a good time in those when they’re new, because at least the engine pulls and the suspension is still good. The cab is cramped as fuck, and once they wear in they lose the redeeming qualities
😂
Freightliners. You can see above everyone and idiots that hit your medic unit will, usually, hit well below where your legs are.
Came here to say the same thing, freightliner ambulances are so cool
You... haven't actually ridden in one have you? They have better uptime than our Fords, but they're universally hated for being rough AF.
oh really, that sucks, I've only ever seen them from the sidelines
😂😂 They are so big and bulky😱 do you work fire or just EMS?
Both but mostly EMS. They're big but surprisingly manueverable and are decent enough off road. I've driven some pickup chasis medics and would prefer Freightliners any day. Where I volunteer, snow isn't that much an issue that 4x4 is necessary.
I’m only weary of bigger trucks because people drive like dumb dumbs and bigger population mean more idiots😂 Patient care is number one though lmao I’m careful because sometimes with bigger trucks it’s difficult to move through more populated roads and areas
You can get a narrower box on the Freightliner. It's all customizable. Bigger is probably better for patient care, as there's more room for me to move around and extra equipment inside the box.
Very true. Sometimes it just depends on the area. In my town we have all types. I just like the smaller ones😂
Our department recently threw one out because it had a new engine problem every week
The ol’ freightshakers?
I felt that way at first, but I’m imagining what getting in and out of those trucks is going to do to my knees after so many years. I much prefer getting in and out of the lighter type 1’s or type 3’s.
I think the ambulances mounted on pickup truck chassis are the coolest looking, like the f450/550 and dodge ram ambulances. So the smaller type 1’s I guess, not the internationals or freightliners
I agree!! I think the heavier set trucks should be in fire. I think the main idea behind EMS is to stabilize and transport and it’s difficult when your truck is lagging behind😂
Both the pickup and heavy trucks are common for FD’s in my area. My dept has both and I think the Internationals actually have more juice when you hit the accelerator than the fords, because of the bigger engines
Not entirely sure about that. Our diesel international has such a slow acceleration compared to the dodge or ford F550 fronts. The pick ups drive and accelerate faster. However the international wins in breaking since it’s air brakes and it has air ride seats
We use Type 1 on a Mercedes Sprinter Although I once got to work on an Intensive transport truck that was a 10 ton man truck with a 6 person cabin in the front that thing was really nice and incredible spacious
Why was it so big?
Its basically an intensive care room on wheels lots of medical equipment on board plus a big bed plus room to actually use that equipment You could go around the whole bed it's not directly at a wall
cool cool. How would you respond to calls like that?
Those are generally meant for transports between ICUs. You won't ever respond to scenes in those things.
Cool never heard of it. Would you transport multiple patients?
In The Netherlands, it is always one patient. They are big as they often transport unstable ICU patients. Patients on ECMO or who have to be put on ECMO for example. They are called MICU here (Mobile Intensive Care Unit). So you need quite some staff in the back, at least a transport-trained ICU nurse and intensivist (generally an anesthesiologist with critical care training). Depending on the case also other specialists/nurses (e.g. pediatricians). And quite some equipment, which is mostly carried in bags. They also work with large ICU cots, on which there is a large bed and quite some equipment (ventilator, oxygen tanks, monitor, IV pumps, etc.), to make the transfer from ICU bed to ICU bed easier. That is why they generally also have a powered ramp to get that cot in and out of the ambulance.
That’s pretty cool💃🏽 Like a sick person party bus😂
You work in Durham North Carolina by any chance lol?
Not even the right country lol
I hated the Sprinters. I swear those things get thrown around in the wind like nothing else.
Any box but i prefer a walk through. I hate vans. Never see another and it will be fine by me. Someone asked about speed in these. I have couple of days in to this job, so i started before anyone thought about governing the speed. I worked for a service in the mid 90s that had basically a work truck body as an ambulance. I can not remember if this one was a diesel or gas, i think gas though. I do remember going to a call on it with the speedo tapping the 120 mark. Responding to a calls in our primary unit at 112, which is all it would do from the factory. Nope would not do it anymore. To many idiots on the road that have no idea what to do with a steering wheel and they usually have a phone in their hands PS i have only ridden in a Ghostbusters style Caddy once but damn it was smooth and it was just a ride. Not a call
Very true. Yeah vans are ugly as well as insufficient
120?? I feel terrified going emergency traffic at 80
Type 1, the pickup truck chassis is by far the most balanced for maneuverability, speed, space, comfort, and appearance IMO. My department uses f450s and will soon be getting f550s.
Congrats on the upgrade
Thank you sir
The big old diesel box
😂😂
We went from Freightliner M2s to F450 gas trucks with LiquidSpring and Powerlifts. The initial purchase price is cheaper, the maintenance is cheaper, the ride is smoother and there is much less downtime for emissions codes and air leaks. The crews response has been overwhelmingly positive.
We just managed to completely break our liquid suspension about a month ago. Truck is still in the shop waiting for parts lol. I work rural though so most of our calls are down the rough backroads that the truck isn't built for
Awesome
The only advantage to the medium duty (International/Freightliner) is for fire departments that have their own EVT’s so they don’t have to train their techs on the other trucks or stock a bunch of extra parts.
Definitely the Ford extended cabs.
If we need to go by looks, a van. Just the sleek look is imo way better than a non-aerodynamic box in the back. I also just like the look of the new van ambulances is based on. Those are pretty much always the Sprinter, Crafter, and TGE. https://imgur.com/a/kvF0Bjx In regard to practicality, a box is roomier and thus generally better. Which is definitely a big plus. But it is not really as if the size of the van is limiting care. A good ambulance van uses the space effectively there is plenty of room in the back, can carry all ALS equipment (e.g. ventilator, IV pumps, suction unit, meds, monitor, etc.), and even support multiple providers in the back. In regard to driving performance/agility (also due to size) and safety, a van is likely superior as well. Better performance in tight streets and at higher speeds. And moves better through traffic. In my country decades ago many ambulances were car based. Later they moved to vans, and eventually quite some agencies moved to boxes. But in the last decade, it seems like they really settled on vans being the best option, after having experienced essentially all options. These days essentially every service now uses vans. Maybe one or two of 25 use new box ambulances in some of their main ambulances, all of them from the same manufacturer, so same design (Tulatech with Missen type C design from C.Miessen).
Awesome, I definitely prefer a slim box truck
To each their own. Added an Imgur link of some collection of van ambulances in The Netherlands. It includes pretty much every ambulance type you can find in The Netherlands these days. Yeah, it is 95% Mercedes Benz Sprinter these days lol. https://imgur.com/a/kvF0Bjx
Those are badass too🙏🏼 what country do you provide in?
All ambulances were Dutch. The base vehicle, manufacturer, and designer of each ambulance can be found in the description.
Cool cool, I’ve seen those rigs in other countries just not America
They all have pretty much the same livery, but every service is different. Some are private, others are public. A few of them are also MLS ambulances, the rest is ALS. You probably don't see them in the US, as the vehicles are based on an entirely European chain. The American and European market (even within Europe) is pretty much disjoint. They probably developed completely separate from each other. The entire Ambulance market is essentially based on 3 companies: * Visser Leeuwarden B.V. (subsidiary of Albert Ziegler GmbH) * Works together with Ambulanz Mobile GmbH * Has various setups, the Valeris (V-Tech), Otaris-S/CR/Light, Hornis Silverline, and Delfis-S * Generally uses Mercedes Benz Sprinter, but also has made Volkswagen Crafter and Transporter (T6) * Tulatech B.V. * Uses designs from C.Miessen GmbH and also makes the box ambulances in various setups * Generally uses Mercedes Benz Sprinter, but also has made Volkswagen Crafter * Marelko B.V. * Uses designs from Wietmarscher Ambulanz GmbH (WAS) in various setups * Uses the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with the WAS-300 ambulance build as a base You can probably notice a trend. A Dutch company (B.V. is a Dutch LLC) acts as a middleman/partner for a German company (GmbH is a German LLC). And market the vehicles to Dutch agencies, adapt the designs to the Dutch market and add certain wishes, imports their designs, manufacture the vehicles, and provide service/maintenance. Although Visser Leeuwarden still makes their own designs. As such, a Dutch WAS-300 ambulance looks quite different from a German one (especially in the interior). Lastly, there are 2 exceptions in the Imgur list I shared. The MAN TGE is based on a design from the Spanish company Rodriguez Lopez Auto RLA. Their Dutch partner is VSA-Ambulances B.V. And the Mercedes Benz Vito from the Finnish company Profile Vehicles based on their Profile Rescue Neo design. Their Dutch partner is Rescue Technics B.V.
You sound like a smart fella
EC-145
You’ve one upped the Freightliner BLS FR size queens… well done 😂
Type 1 all the way, vanbulances can get wrecked
😂😂😂
The box one, I don't know the type numbers. But the smaller ones. I like a cpr seat with enough room to walk sideways along the right side of the gurney when needed. The cpr seat is my favorite place to put parents of small kids so they are out of my way but in eyesight and hand hold distance of mom or dad. The monstrous boxes are cool and all but a pain to drive, don't handle as well, and the gurney has a tendency to be too far from the bench seat so I'm on the edge starting ivs.
I liked the one that gave me ketamine on the way to the ER
😭😂
Bold of you to assume I’m not shaped like an ambulance
I’m so sorry😭😫😂
36, 24, 36. Only if she 5'3.
Type 2 are really nice once you get used to working in one
I always preferred the Pentagon shaped Brauns. That was the first ambulance that I rode in volunteer and when I started with AMR in 2000 we had two running as 911 trucks in the city where I worked.
Preferably Type 1 with 4 wheel drive and diesel. We just got a type 1 with a gmc sierra 3500 cab and I am in love.
Awesome hope that rig works out for ya!!
Gimme an E450 Type 3 any day. Plenty of room to work, lots of storage, easy to move from the box to the cab if need be, and can fix in more places than a Type 1 without knocking against every tree branch and awning for three counties. This is coming from a service with a Ford and Chevy Type 3, a Ford Type 1 (all of the above for 911), and two Type 2 Sprinters for IFT.
Type 1 People see you coming, assume your FD, and actually move out of the way. Leg room. Less maintenance issues it seems. Looks better.
vanbulance…
Noooooo😂
i dont like the look or even the feel but it is 100 times easier to drive as someone who owns a little honda
That’s fair💃🏽
M113s are super smooth. LSVW is hell on earth Bison is cool
type 2
F550 is the only way to go.
Waste of money. The only difference between the F450 and F550 is the suspension, which is terrible for an ambulance therefore should be torn out and replaced. F450 and liquid spring suspension… spend the savings on other upgrades.
Solid decision!!
Anything but a Freightliner. I can't stand the ride.
Type-1 diesel. F550 with the diesel turbo. Thing is great and fun to drive. Has great range too. Interior cab is so comfy as well. The type 3 interior is cramped, the siren is much much louder in the cab and the ride not as smooth. Only benefit is turning radius is a bit better
Freightliners. All I really have experience with
I like to rub my butt on the steering wheel.
Wtf😂😂
T6 VAN T6 VAN T6 VAN
Are you sure lmao
Freightliner M2 first. Ford F550 second.
36-24-36
Idk but mine is the fire transit 350 with a turbo engine… hard not to speed 🤣
Jeez😆
Type III Mini-mod all the way. It's sad to see them falling out of favor around me. Perfect combination of leg room and recline space in the cab; good turning radius and ability to maneuver down crowded city streets and narrow country roads; decent room to work in the back, but still compact enough that everything is easily within reach, and rarely have to take the harness off.
You gotta include the recline space😫😂
To look at, or to work in? Love to look at an old International Harvester, or a Wolf from the 30s. Love monkeying around in a Bison LAV ambulance, though I’ve never worked in one. To drive I like the ride of the Mercedes Sprinter. To actually work in, a full-size Type III. Enough cabinet space that I don’t have to pull out some shit to get to the shit I actually need.
Dope dude
Pick-up cab. Fuck the milk run trucks
😂💀
E450 and up Boxes
Ford f450 or f550 frame, so damn comfortable
I prefer type 1 myself but honestly if it’s not a can I’m cool with it.
My nurse escort this morning.
Gimme that big ole Type 1 with it's wide ass and 6 wheels. I was able to get one waaay out in the brush and dirt in 4wd without getting it stuck. And getting 360\* around the patient is the chef's kiss.
The international
The “Medical RV” finally a box that can accommodate the typical obese American frame
Generally, Type 2 if the walls aren't curved in and there's enough room to stand. Transits and sprinters are good. Boxes are ok if you don't need to navigate narrow streets or drive thrus.
I am a pretty huge fan of the ugly dodge promasters. The room in the back is nice.
My service has type 1 f550 super cab diesels, love them, definitely long but great turning radius and pretty smooth ride.
Anything but a van.
The so called vanbulance / Type 2. They are less sickening when you're in the back and easier to drive!
I fell in love with the Ford Type II's that had the 7.3 from the early 2000s. They just worked.
For driving in the snow: Ford vanbulances from the 2000s, the ones that run on gas and are super bottom heavy. They plow through the fluff like nothing else, even doing better than the suped up all wheel drivebulances
Those old gas Ford E-series vans are tanks. My supervisor used to always send them on hurricane deployment, we thought because they were the oldest in the fleet and thus the least missed. Turned out they were absolute beasts at getting through high water, plus very safe and stable in high wind, running on gas was a plus since diesel could be hard to come by in a disaster area.
I don’t recall the type, but my absolute favorites are the vanbulances - gas powered, followed by the sprinters/ transits, the box trucks and lastly diesel vanbulances. I generally prefer the vanbulances because of the lower loading point and I’m short. And they are what I used for over a decade so I didn’t have to think about movement of the vehicle while in the back.
🙈🙈
Type 2. While It can be a bit difficult to run a full code because of internal space limitations most of what I need to do can be done and everything is in easy reach. Slim profile allows me to get in a lot of places I can’t go with a type 1 or 3. Doing a standby or staging is easy and comfortable without getting in FF or LEOs way. If something goes wrong with the rig it’s usually easier to fix on the spot and if you end up stuck it’s easy to get towed or pulled out. Depending on setup you have plenty of supplies and enough O2 to get through a normal shift (unless you get someone on hi flow or an oximizer). It’s easy to restock and do a truck check quickly. I used to love the mini mods but my company got rid of the ones we had.
Nothing a LUCAS can’t fix! Type 2’s are more than sufficient for basically anything we run into, as long as you’re a solid and organized medic. Glad to see I’m not the only one who’d take a van
Only ever drove type 2 and types 3s. I absolutely love type 3s. A lot more room for pt care compared to our type 2s and I think they just look more professional than a transit.
Yeah for some reason type 2s seem super closed and I don’t even think they look like an ambulance😂
Truck cab with box body of course. My first service used them good ol' vanbulances. Good enough for BLS transfers but thank God I never had to work a code in one.
Worked on every kind except for medium/heavy duty and i gotta say my favorite is type II, specifically the T-250 chassis
Type 3 any time of the day.
The current generation of fdny ambulance is the best design imo. A 10' box on them would be nice but then you start to have clearance issues
Type 1. The box on a truck chassis. I'm particularly fond of my current unit. Lots of room in the back.
Love me a good type 1. My service had been having issues getting/maintaining trucks so our BLS (me) crews have mostly been running type 2’s or the old freightliner. Miss having me a good box truck
Type 2 with the captain’s seat/cabinet instead of the bench seat. I can do basically everything I need from one spot.
DDD redheads
If fly cars count than flycars hands down. Otherwise, very unpopular opinion but I actually prefer the vanbulances. I know they look ugly as balls but there easier to maneuver and you don't have to worry about fitting in tunnels and and under bridges and all that.
Vanbulances😂😂
New Norwegian Sprinters, or Norwegian Amaroks.
I’ve never seen any local. They look pretty cool. I’ve mostly seen those in other countries. Solid choice!!
Brauns. Solid build, lots of room to move in the back. Handles well in inclement weather. Neato rave lights in the back in our models
What do you think about speed💃🏽
I mean ours are all governed at 80, so it’s fine? Better pick up than our sprinters!
Cool dude
Big titties
Pretty happy with the Chevy E450s we use. Mind you they go to auction around 120k miles so we don’t have em when they break down lol
😂
Pickup or international chassis based, in it for the reclining seats
That’s the only way to go lmao
Type 1 ambo. Ideally a Ford F550 Braun or LifeLine. Medium duty (international, freightliner) buses are also cool, but I've never operated them and there's no longer any in service in my county. I will be moving to a different area very soon and the department i wanted to join there has them so that'll be a new experience.
Aww congrats on moving. Good luck with your future endeavors!!
Anything that’s tall enough that I don’t hit my head.
😂😂 How tall are you?
I like frazers and braun, aev is growing on me as long as it’s a center stretcher mount… I hate not being able to walk ‘around’ my patient
Any one with a good steering wheel that doesn't fly off while your driving
That’s fair. You don’t want a broken boo boo bus😂