# Harris County Emergency Corp



## bigbaldguy (May 1, 2012)

A few photos of Harris County Emergency Corp trucks. Very cool and distinctive looking black trucks. For more photos check out their website here http://www.hcec.com/.


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## mm505 (May 2, 2012)

Is Texas the only state that allows blue lights on fire/ems?

Trucks look damn nice!  Would love to see a pix of it lit up at night!


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## bigbaldguy (May 2, 2012)

Not sure about the blue lights but I'll see what I can do about getting a photo of it lit up.  Sorry the pics are so big I'm still getting the hang of this apparently.


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## adamjh3 (May 2, 2012)

I have to say it. That thing looks bad@ss


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## Tigger (May 2, 2012)

mm505 said:


> Is Texas the only state that allows blue lights on fire/ems?
> 
> Trucks look damn nice!  Would love to see a pix of it lit up at night!



Lot's of blue lights to the rear on ambulances in Massachusetts. Blue lights errywhere in Colorado.


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## truetiger (May 2, 2012)

We have a red/blue combo here in MO...


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## patput (May 2, 2012)

Blue lights here in New York, too. Rear facing though.


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## medicdan (May 2, 2012)

Tigger said:


> Lot's of blue lights to the rear on ambulances in Massachusetts. Blue lights errywhere in Colorado.



Ehh... in MA fire-based services (and some third services) put ONE blue light on the rear of their apparatus, but I never seen more than one. I challenge you to find ANY private ambulances with blues in MA. Blue lights are limited to police, in general.

Note: the exception is MSP's two ambulances http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZgdwuxH1Ow
which are technically police vehicles, NOT ambulances... 

Other states (NJ comes to mind) allow volunteers to have blue lights on their POVs...


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## medicdan (May 2, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> A few photos of Harris County Emergency Corp trucks. Very cool and distinctive looking black trucks. For more photos check out their website here http://www.hcec.com/.



Do ambulances not need to read "AMBULANCE"  or "RESCUE" in letters of a certain size? I hadn't realized it before today, but it seems outside of my microcosm, it isn't required...


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## EpiEMS (May 2, 2012)

emt.dan said:


> Do ambulances not need to read "AMBULANCE"  or "RESCUE" in letters of a certain size? I hadn't realized it before today, but it seems outside of my microcosm, it isn't required...



Just looked at KKK-A-1822F and it says that "Ambulance" has to be printed on the left and right side, as well as on the hood, I think.


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## akflightmedic (May 2, 2012)

While the trucks do look sharp, how do they rate with safety/visibility?

As ugly as they are, I am a huge fan of the orange/purple checkerboard as it breaks up the visual field quite intrusively.


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## stormchasemedic340 (May 2, 2012)

Red & blue all over in Oklahoma


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## bigbaldguy (May 2, 2012)

akflightmedic said:


> While the trucks do look sharp, how do they rate with safety/visibility?
> 
> As ugly as they are, I am a huge fan of the orange/purple checkerboard as it breaks up the visual field quite intrusively.



Excellent point, black isn't the greatest color for visibility although I seem to recall some studies that said fire engine red is no better than black in regards to low light visibility.


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## adamjh3 (May 2, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> Excellent point, black isn't the greatest color for visibility although I seem to recall some studies that said fire engine red is no better than black in regards to low light visibility.



Here's the best scheme for high visibility, the flames clearly draw attention.  :rofl:


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## bigbaldguy (May 2, 2012)

adamjh3 said:


> Here's the best scheme for high visibility, the flames clearly draw attention.  :rofl:



That's exactly what it felt like in the back of the truck today.


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## bigbaldguy (May 4, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> That's exactly what it felt like in the back of the truck today.



It just occurred to me that someone through a cup in that basket.


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## Tigger (May 4, 2012)

emt.dan said:


> Ehh... in MA fire-based services (and some third services) put ONE blue light on the rear of their apparatus, but I never seen more than one. I challenge you to find ANY private ambulances with blues in MA. Blue lights are limited to police, in general.
> 
> Note: the exception is MSP's two ambulances http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZgdwuxH1Ow
> which are technically police vehicles, NOT ambulances...
> ...



Never seen a private ambulance with blue lights for whatever reason. I know my town's fire ambulance has two blue lights to the rear, as do a few neighboring towns. Now if I could find pictures...


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## bigbaldguy (May 4, 2012)

Tigger said:


> Never seen a private ambulance with blue lights for whatever reason. I know my town's fire ambulance has two blue lights to the rear, as do a few neighboring towns. Now if I could find pictures...



I'm still beating the bushes trying to get West U for a tour.


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## Tigger (May 4, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> I'm still beating the bushes trying to get West U for a tour.



That is a sharp looking truck you posted. Say what everyone will about fire-based EMS, they have getting great equipment down to a science.


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## usalsfyre (May 4, 2012)

Tigger said:


> That is a sharp looking truck you posted. Say what everyone will about fire-based EMS, they have getting great equipment down to a science.



Except HCEC isn't fire based....

Third service Emergency Services District.


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## Tigger (May 4, 2012)

usalsfyre said:


> Except HCEC isn't fire based....
> 
> Third service Emergency Services District.



I know, I was responding to BBG's post about West University. I'm not trying to take anyway from HCEC, a look around their website also shows them to be well funded I'd imagine.


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## usalsfyre (May 4, 2012)

Tigger said:


> I know, I was responding to BBG's post about West University. I'm not trying to take anyway from HCEC, a look around their website also shows them to be well funded I'd imagine.



Ahhh, got ya. HCEC from what I understand is very well funded. It's all about how if you have/how you use your tax base. I can show you some full-time FDs with scary equipment as well.


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## bigbaldguy (May 4, 2012)

Texas and especially Houston and Dallas tend to pour insane amounts of money into their Fire Departments.

edit

Remember though that West U is an incredibly wealthy department, the average home in this hood is $675,332 that's about 5 times the national average so they have a huge tax base to draw on.


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## Steam Engine (May 4, 2012)

emt.dan said:


> Ehh... in MA fire-based services (and some third services) put ONE blue light on the rear of their apparatus, but I never seen more than one. I challenge you to find ANY private ambulances with blues in MA. Blue lights are limited to police, in general.
> 
> Note: the exception is MSP's two ambulances http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZgdwuxH1Ow
> which are technically police vehicles, NOT ambulances...
> ...



I've seen some FD based units around here with a few rear-facing blues, despite being technically illegal. Saw a South Shore Hospital ambulance with one the other day as well.


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## shfd739 (May 4, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> Texas and especially Houston and Dallas tend to pour insane amounts of money into their Fire Departments.
> 
> edit
> 
> Remember though that West U is an incredibly wealthy department, the average home in this hood is $675,332 that's about 5 times the national average so they have a huge tax base to draw on.



I was curious about this after you posted the pic of them. Then I checked out the city web site and saw how small the city is. 

That average home price explains alot.


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## bigbaldguy (May 4, 2012)

shfd739 said:


> I was curious about this after you posted the pic of them. Then I checked out the city web site and saw how small the city is.
> 
> That average home price explains alot.



They also have their own police force. I was privileged enough to meet one of them while taking those photos. Thank god I had stickers. I tossed them in the air and ran like hell  Just kidding, damn fine officers every one of them.


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## Flight-LP (May 5, 2012)

akflightmedic said:


> While the trucks do look sharp, how do they rate with safety/visibility?
> 
> As ugly as they are, I am a huge fan of the orange/purple checkerboard as it breaks up the visual field quite intrusively.



As surprising as it is, they are very retroreflectorized and well lit up. While black isn't my cup of tea, they did a great job at making the units visible and as safe as possible for the hood they work in. 

Great medics there I might add!


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