# Is money this tight?



## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

:blush:
Why? Really, we have to put this back on the road?  Really?  I didn't even know we still had any of these.  No idea where they were storing it.  This is embarrassing.  It's a 1979 according to the registration.  I took these photos TODAY, not 20 years ago.  I love my job, but this company is killing me. I covered over the company name in MS paint.


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## bigbaldguy (Apr 22, 2011)

I can so see a young bill Cosby sitting in the front seat of that thing. The stories that rig could tell.


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## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

The will buy this one next Click Here


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## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

bigbaldguy said:


> I can so see a young bill Cosby sitting in the front seat of that thing. The stories that rig could tell.



Mother, Jugs, and Speed.  Bet there aren't many that remember that movie.  Well, other than EMS workers.


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## HotelCo (Apr 22, 2011)

bigbaldguy said:


> The stories that rig could tell.



Just thinking the same thing.


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## WolfmanHarris (Apr 22, 2011)

Even with refurb I don't think that vehicle would get approved to run anywhere in Ontario. Oldest frontline trucks in our fleet our 2007 (oldest spare is 2006) and the '07's are overdue for replacement, but the garage at the station they run out of is too narrow for our newer trucks to easily fit, so the reno needs to be finished first.

Did they not have any newer spares hiding anywhere?


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## WolfmanHarris (Apr 22, 2011)

ihalterman said:


> Mother, Jugs, and Speed.  Bet there aren't many that remember that movie.  Well, other than EMS workers.



With good reason. Not a great movie. Unless you're in EMS, what's the draw?

BTW: That's not a #30 is it?


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## exodus (Apr 22, 2011)

I wouldn't mind that as long as it's mechanically sound... Those leather seats look WAY more comfortable than the new modern seats...


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## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

WolfmanHarris said:


> BTW: That's not a #30 is it?



Not sure what you mean by #30.  It is mechanically sound. That's why it came out of storage before a few of our other rigs.  It runs and drives fine.  I just don't want to be seen in it. :blush:


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## Veneficus (Apr 22, 2011)

ihalterman said:


> Not sure what you mean by #30.  It is mechanically sound. That's why it came out of storage before a few of our other rigs.  It runs and drives fine.  I just don't want to be seen in it. :blush:



You are taking the wrong approach.

Instead of being ashamed, you have to own it.

It probably has more blood in the floorboards than running through your body.


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## WolfmanHarris (Apr 22, 2011)

ihalterman said:


> Not sure what you mean by #30.  It is mechanically sound. That's why it came out of storage before a few of our other rigs.  It runs and drives fine.  I just don't want to be seen in it. :blush:



Sorry, I meant is the stretcher a Ferno #30. Poorly articulated on my part.


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## Akulahawk (Apr 22, 2011)

I once ran calls in a 1983 Stoner. (Yes, that was the ambulance mfr.) It was also mechanically good. No O2 leaks. Interior in good condition. She could run like a scalded cat.


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## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

It's an old ferno.  Bout all I know.   I guess if I run this rig long enough, I'll get to complain about the "old days" along with some of the fossils around here.


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## MRE (Apr 22, 2011)

That thing isn't old; it even has one of those fancy automatic transmissions.


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## Akulahawk (Apr 22, 2011)

W1IM said:


> That thing isn't old; it even has one of those fancy automatic transmissions.


Rumor (about 12 years ago) was that the fastest ambulance (in storage somewhere, of course)  in Santa Clara County was an early '80's big-block V8 Gasser with a manual transmission... Apparently it could get up & get going quicker and had a higher top speed than any other ambulance in the County.

No, I was never able to lay eyes on _that _mythical beast...


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## ihalterman (Apr 22, 2011)

This one isn't a gasser, but it is quick.


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## dmc2007 (Apr 23, 2011)

What is the reading on the odometer?


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## JPINFV (Apr 23, 2011)

dmc2007 said:


> What is the reading on the odometer?



Relatively irrelevant. I've been on units that had issues in the 100k range and my favorite all time unit was over 300k when they got rid of it.


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## medicdan (Apr 23, 2011)

I think it's fair for you to not agree to take the vehicle on the road until it undergoes a full mechanical inspection (by a mechanic), oil change, etc. I wouldn't step in to it without ensuring the seat belts, airbags and lights are in working order. I also respect my back too much to use a stretcher like that (I presume that's a 2-man...?). Of course, I'd also like to see the state OEMS ambulance license/inspection.


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## Anjel (Apr 23, 2011)

We have 3 rigs with over 200k. They just now are "Broken in"


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## JPINFV (Apr 23, 2011)

Dan, what airbag?


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## Bosco578 (Apr 24, 2011)

Fire and PD should jump on that and bring back the 70's........ol skool!


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## dmc2007 (Apr 24, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> Relatively irrelevant. I've been on units that had issues in the 100k range and my favorite all time unit was over 300k when they got rid of it.



Don't worry, I have a great appreciation for high mileage vehicles.  I was just curious whether or not it would be legal or not to operate here, as I've told that MA forces trucks to be retired at 300,000.


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## DrParasite (Apr 24, 2011)

dmc2007 said:


> Don't worry, I have a great appreciation for high mileage vehicles.  I was just curious whether or not it would be legal or not to operate here, as I've told that MA forces trucks to be retired at 300,000.


I wish ours did.  we have some backup critical care trucks with 300,000+ miles on them.  many many many/most trucks with greater than 100,000 trucks on them.  we do have some new ones with less than 100k (usually less than 5 years old), but many that have been run into the ground and should be retired, but haven't due to budgetary restrictions preventing us from purchasing new trucks.


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## HotelCo (Apr 24, 2011)

The majority of my company's fleet has 100k+, and some have 300k+. They're well taken care of, and I've yet to have a problem.


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## CAOX3 (Apr 24, 2011)

I loved those old style fords, double tanker with the toggle switch and the two man stretchers.

We had the old diesels, they were sweet, our trucks have a miledge cap, once they hit 250,000 they can only be used as spares per the state.

A I agree if that thing could talk the stories it would tell.


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## beandip4all (Apr 24, 2011)

we have a couple 700 and 800k...  "punishment rigs"


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## usalsfyre (Apr 24, 2011)

beandip4all said:


> we have a couple 700 and 800k...  "punishment rigs"



:blink:

Alot of ours are running near the 300K mark...but damn.....


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## shfd739 (Apr 24, 2011)

After reading all this I feel lucky that ours get pulled between 250k and 275k. Only the non-maintenance nightmare trucks are allowed to get close to 300k. 

The majority of ours are less than 3 years old. The trucks that are older than that have under 125k miles and are backups.


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## CAOX3 (Apr 24, 2011)

CAOX3 said:


> I loved those old style fords, double tanker with the toggle switch and the two man stretchers.
> 
> We had the old diesels, they were sweet, our trucks have a miledge cap, once they hit 250,000 they can only be used as spares per the state.
> 
> A I agree if that thing could talk the stories it would tell.



I stand corrected this is a service requirement, not a state mandate

I was just informed.


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## socalmedic (Apr 26, 2011)

my truck today had 473,000 miles on it. and i like it better than the new ford gassers. i love that thing.


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## marineman (Apr 26, 2011)

Ours are retired or rechassied around 250k. Our previous mechanic did a little study and found that 250 for most trucks was the economical breaking point where maintenance became more expensive than a new truck.


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## FrostbiteMedic (Apr 27, 2011)

I am going to leave the service name out of this discussion, but at my very first service (a very poorly run ift service.......) I got stuck driving a 1982 Ford Vanbulance (not sure who made it) between Chattanooga and Nashville one day. On the way back to Chattanooga, the A/C quit working, the one headlight kept flicking on and off, the tranny started slipping, and the dashlights went out. This is to add to the fact the steering wheel felt like it was going to fall apart and the muffler didn't "muffle" anything lol. Needless to say, I parked it when I got back to chattanooga and immediately hopped in the good truck for the rest of the shift. A week later, they placed the truck back with us again. arrrrgghhh.


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## bigbaldguy (Apr 27, 2011)

I just rode in a brand spanking new, first day on the road, never carried a patient, didn't even smell like pee rig.


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## bigbaldguy (Apr 27, 2011)

Oh and did I mention it had a rumbler!


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## MrBrown (Apr 27, 2011)

Damn bro that thing is gangsta ancient .... grow an afro and dress in a blue jumpsuit with "PARAMEDIC" written on the back in yellow letters, throw on a few gold chains and carry glass IV bottles ..... funky


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## small-town-EMT (Apr 28, 2011)

MrBrown said:


> Damn bro that thing is gangsta ancient .... grow an afro and dress in a blue jumpsuit with "PARAMEDIC" written on the back in yellow letters, throw on a few gold chains and carry glass IV bottles ..... funky



Thats true ems right there! i dont think it gets much better than that! but on a side note my dept is looking at lifeline ambulances for a new squad, does anyone run these or can give me some input?? thanks!


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## Sasha (Apr 28, 2011)

bigbaldguy said:


> I just rode in a brand spanking new, first day on the road, never carried a patient, didn't even smell like pee rig.



You mean ambulances aren't supposed to smell like pee?


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## small-town-EMT (Apr 28, 2011)

Not unless one of your crew members uses the hospital mop bucket water to wash the back of the rig >.<


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## johnrsemt (Apr 28, 2011)

Wow;  and our trucks are 12 years old with less than 40,000 miles on them.

  and we have a 45 mile one way to closest hospital.    course we do less than 100 runs a year,  split between 8 trucks


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 28, 2011)

According to a VST for my company once a rig gets to 120k it goes from an ALS unit to a BLS transport unit.


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## Patria O Muerte (Apr 28, 2011)

I think they stopped using these before I was born.


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## cstiltzcook2 (Jun 9, 2011)

Oh Beandip you have to tell me where you are working...I bet I know. Any cadillacs in your fleet?


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## Bullets (Jun 10, 2011)

My squad still has its 1939 LaSalle,and it still runs. Things got a big v12 manual and it can beat any one of the modern trucks off the line. thing is a big old monster,but its a sweet ride. 

There is one squad in our area that still runs a 1959 Miller-Meteor as their backup truck. they only do like 500 calls a year and cover a rural area, but there is something real cool seeing that caddy come flying down the highway with the big red beacon flashing


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## mintygood (Jun 10, 2011)

You've got to OWN IT.  Embrace the geeky-ness.  Pull up next to the huge 2011 International box truck with confidence.  Mirrored aviators will be a must.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Jun 11, 2011)

mintygood said:


> You've got to OWN IT.  Embrace the geeky-ness.  Pull up next to the huge 2011 International box truck with confidence.  *Mirrored aviators will be a must.*



Oh yes...definitely.
B)


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## Tsani (Jun 11, 2011)

Heck ya! Wash, wax and sport that beast!!!


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## mintygood (Jun 11, 2011)

also, fuzzy dice.


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