# Suggested livery/graphics/paintjob for an ambulance [plus off topic question]



## metro9 (Sep 19, 2011)

Just asking around for suggestions.  It's for a private ambulance.   Current popular service uses a variation of the battenburg pattern from the UK.






Another local unit (for sale) uses a more simple pattern:





Both units were acquired used from the U.S.

What would be a good/practical/realistic/cost effective paint job or graphics for an ambulance?  Thank you!

OT:  What does this pedal do?  It's a 1997 Horton Type II (Ford base vehicle).


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## JPINFV (Sep 19, 2011)

Push it and find out!

Actually, it probably goes to work a horn or siren option.


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## NYBLS (Sep 19, 2011)

Manual siren pedal. More common in fire trucks for running the Q, but some ambulances do have them. If its not connected to the siren, its useless.


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## JJR512 (Sep 19, 2011)

NYBLS said:


> Manual siren pedal. More common in fire trucks for running the Q, but some ambulances do have them. If its not connected to the siren, its useless.


 
Or horn, as JPINFV said. The ambulances in my service, for example, have electronic sirens and real air horns; the air horns are worked by this kind of pedal as well. If you were to have both real air horns and a mechanical siren, you might find two of these pedals in the footwell.


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## metro9 (Sep 19, 2011)

Yep, we got an airhorn on top of this unit.  

Thanks.  Now, for the graphics part.  hehe


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## mycrofft (Sep 19, 2011)

*Call Me Amish..*

I work on these principles:
1. A solid color shows up better than a broken one. Broken patterns are used as camouflage. Fluorescent paints fade quickly.
2. Money spent on decals and fancy paint could be spent on repairs, patient care devices, pay, or even another rig. Same for keeping it all up.
3. Company logo, name, phone number, period.
4. Remember, "the side with the simplest uniform usually wins".

Good luck.


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## volmedic85 (Sep 19, 2011)

I think if you search the web for ambulance pics, you'll be able to see what works and what doesn't. I find you can have too much, making you look tacky, and too little that you look cheap. As long as you get the message out, your on the right track. Just dont slap a tiny star of life and an ECG strip on it and wash your hand from it, pic a colour combo and stick with it. Nothing is worse than having 6 units and not one look like the next.


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## JJR512 (Sep 19, 2011)

mycrofft said:


> I work on these principles:
> 1. A solid color shows up better than a broken one. Broken patterns are used as camouflage. Fluorescent paints fade quickly.


 
I disagree about solid colors showing up better. There's a reason why patterns like the battenburg markings or chevrons are called "high visibility".

Camouflage works because the colors used are colors that blend into the background. They break up the shape or silhouette when at least one of the colors blends in to the background, thus the outline of the person or vehicle becomes difficult to discern, and the overall effect is that it's hard to tell there's something there at all. But if you were to paint something, or clothe someone, in a camouflage-style pattern using fluorescent and bright colors that stand out from the background, you better believe that object or person would be highly conspicuous.

The chief of my department recently responded in his department-issued chief's car on a rescue call. He responded from somewhere other than the station, but nearby. He told us later that as he turned onto a main road, he immediately noticed one of our ambulances down the road in front of him. He also said he did not immediately notice the other of our ambulances that was also in front of him, but closer. The one he noticed has high-visibility chevrons on the back; the one he didn't notice doesn't. And he said it was those hi-viz chevrons that grabbed his attention.

Fluroescent paint may fade quickly but it doesn't even need to be used in the first place. In whatever pattern is used, whether chevrons, battenburg, or even simple striping, one color should actually be retroreflective decaling rather than paint, and the other color should be a contrasting bright color.


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## bigbaldguy (Sep 19, 2011)

Just leave it parked in a rough part of town for 24 hours and see what graphics "turn up". Hey at least it's free right?


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## Hunter (Sep 19, 2011)

Here's some of the paint jobs of the bigger private companys in the area. 





simple, one line and the logo.




Same thing, simple line, and company logo.


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## Handsome Robb (Sep 19, 2011)

Local trucks. The new Chevys are way nicer than the Fords, can't find a picture of the Chevy, I'll snap one next time I'm at work. Still the same paint job though.











Also, my buddy had a 97 F150. That button turned the high-beam headlights on/off.


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## ArcticKat (Sep 19, 2011)

I've also seen this in Yellow and Purple


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## lawndartcatcher (Sep 19, 2011)

Two of my favorites...






and


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## bigbaldguy (Sep 19, 2011)

lawndartcatcher said:


> Two of my favorites...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice


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## mycrofft (Sep 19, 2011)

*JR512, roger the reflective material.*

The reason a standardized pattern works is that nothing else resembles it. The drawback is that it breaks up the image when not looked at directly, or when seen in adverse light or distance.The drawback to one solid color is that some bakery or moving company might adopt it next week.
In late Seventies fire companies (and USAF/DoD) were painting their red trucks "lime yellow". Frankly, at night they were much more visible, especially in mercury vapor light, but people wanted their trucks RED, so back we are.


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## JPINFV (Sep 19, 2011)

mycrofft said:


> In late Seventies fire companies (and USAF/DoD) were painting their red trucks "lime yellow". Frankly, at night they were much more visible, especially in mercury vapor light, but people wanted their trucks RED, so back we are.



One of the FDs in the county I grew up in had the lime green apparatuses, and one of the current departments near me has at least one lime green engine.


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## metro9 (Sep 19, 2011)

Thanks for the advice.  The simple graphics do look better but I also think that chevrons are very practical (visibility wise).  The flag on the AMR units are a nice touch too.

Is white a good base color for an ambulance or should other options be considered?


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## jamesm (Sep 22, 2011)

I like the type of ambulance patterns we have in Australia, they are all pretty similar here.


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## LondonMedic (Sep 22, 2011)

If you get bored of anecdotes, you could try looking at the research;
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_323.pdf
http://theheap.net/files/14-04-high-conspicuity-livery.pdf


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## jamesm (Sep 22, 2011)

Some Queensland Emergency Vehicles, it's great you can spot them from a mile away haha


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## IRIDEZX6R (Sep 22, 2011)

Is it just me, or does that fire apparatus look like is 80 percent plastic?


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## Handsome Robb (Sep 22, 2011)

IRIDEZX6R said:


> Is it just me, or does that fire apparatus look like is 80 percent plastic?



Not just you. I'm not a huge fan, personally.


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## jamesm (Sep 22, 2011)

I could see the plastic melting, but I have seen a photo of a Queensland Ambulance that was set alight and it's plastic bumper was the only thing not melted.


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## socalmedic (Sep 22, 2011)

AMR concept vehicle

well AEV and AMR have sunk alot of money into this very topic. they have gotten away from the checkers and solid colors are best according to them. check the link for their current demo unit.


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## jamesm (Sep 22, 2011)

socalmedic said:


> AMR concept vehicle
> 
> well AEV and AMR have sunk alot of money into this very topic. they have gotten away from the checkers and solid colors are best according to them. check the link for their current demo unit.



I'm sure they have, they have most likely come up with this pattern idea becuase it's more appealing to the average american and provides ok high to ok visibility. When I think American Ambulance design it looks like the AMR Ambulance


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## Handsome Robb (Sep 22, 2011)

jamesm said:


> When I think American Ambulance design it looks like the AMR Ambulance



AMR units are hideous. No offense.


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## jamesm (Sep 22, 2011)

NVRob said:


> AMR units are hideous. No offense.



No offence taken, I think most american ambulances are hideous,


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## Bullets (Sep 23, 2011)

I love the brandenburg pattern, I wish more american ambulances used it. Most places around here are just getting rear chevrons

Also, that lady cop has a ton of stuff on her duty rig. Future lower back problems right there


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## jamesm (Sep 23, 2011)

Bullets said:


> I love the brandenburg pattern, I wish more american ambulances used it. Most places around here are just getting rear chevrons
> 
> Also, that lady cop has a ton of stuff on her duty rig. Future lower back problems right there



A little off topic, but yeah the belts are a single main cause for medical leave in the police force, so they are testing new vests, they did have the option of vests in the past but a lot of cops did not want to wear them becuase they kinda looked like oversized bra's


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## NomadicMedic (Sep 24, 2011)

Bullets said:


> I love the brandenburg pattern, I wish more american ambulances used it.



Actually, it's the Battenburg pattern...

Here's a picture of a Sprinter from a service I used to work for, many moons ago.


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## beandip4all (Sep 24, 2011)

best ambulance design EVER: 






the also have this one: 





ooh and an elk: 





and a buffalo!!


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## Hunter (Sep 25, 2011)

jamesm said:


> No offence taken, I think most american ambulances are hideous,



Erm, When you say that do you mean ambulances form America or the company American Ambulance.


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## jamesm (Sep 25, 2011)

Hunter said:


> Erm, When you say that do you mean ambulances form America or the company American Ambulance.



I do think most USA ambulances are pretty bad looking, I know i'm generalising and some ambulances looking amazing, but most of them in see on the internet and on tv are ugly.  


p.s.  those ones posted above with wild cat and other animals on it are pretty darn cool


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## Tigger (Sep 26, 2011)

socalmedic said:


> AMR concept vehicle
> 
> well AEV and AMR have sunk alot of money into this very topic. they have gotten away from the checkers and solid colors are best according to them. check the link for their current demo unit.



AMR Pikes Peak (Colorado Springs, CO) is transitioning to these units. They are on Ford E series chassis and not Sprinters, but the box and paint job is the same. Personally I think that paint scheme looks awesome. It's not as visible as the battenburg no doubt, but it sure beats the typical AMR scheme. The rear is completely covered in chevrons as well. The interior is well done too, five-point harnesses everywehre and seats instead of a bench. Powerlift stretchers, an all LED lighting package that doesn't induce seizures but is still visible, and space for two/three providers in back are other niceties.


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## ArcticKat (Sep 26, 2011)

I think ambulance decals/lighting should be a standard colour so that everywhere one goes one can easily recognise it for what it is, not these things covered with wildlife or hello kitty boobies that I look at and wonder what they hell they are, A circus ambulance full of clowns?

I suppose though that if the DOT tries to regulate ambulance colourings it would impinge on the Freedom of Expression in the constitution.


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## NomadicMedic (Sep 26, 2011)

ArcticKat said:


> I think ambulance decals/lighting should be a standard colour so that everywhere one goes one can easily recognise it for what it is,



How about white with an Omaha Orange stripe, a large blue star of life and block lettering that says AMBULANCE. 






Sent from my iPhone.


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## ArcticKat (Sep 26, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> How about white with an Omaha Orange stripe, a large blue star of life and block lettering that says AMBULANCE.



Sounds reasonable to me.


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