Medium-Duty Ambulances

[WestMetroMedic]

In ten years, i have seen 3 of them in Minnesota. 2 were units traveling to mayo clinic from Iowa and one was an ill conceived flop by one service. The big trucks don't fit into most ambulance garages and many overhangs (which are kinda of important in the middle of a Minnesota winter). Actually, pretty much everyone here uses a van chassis with a box and only a couple metro services that use a vanbulance for BLS.

 

[abckidsmom]

Medium duty ambulances look impressive and are nearly always purchased with public funds.

I can think of very few services that actually need them, they embody what's wrong when municipalities are entrusted to spend public funds. Services with excess funds seem to buy the biggest ambulance money can buy.

With the exception of very few critical care / PICU units, I'm not sure what they accomplish that can't be accomplished with the significantly cheaper Type III rig.

A.freaking.men.

And speaking of men, I think the medium duty helps firefighters trapped in the EMS role feel more manly.

I preach about this all the time, and nobody ever listens because they are tired of hearing me talk.

One of the biggest problems with municipalities spending the money to buy stuff like this is that they never, ever consult the high-functioning private agencies to see what they're doing.

I've seen a Type III configured so well that it had plenty of room in the backboard compartment for the reeves and stair chair, so that all the compartments on the driver side could be given over to gear and air packs. Voila, a perfect fire/medic unit.

In our rural area, we rely on the medic crews to fill out the engine crews on the rare occasion there's actually a working fire. They need to have air packs they brought to the scene, but not at the expense of driving a behemoth.

They are just so stinking manly, though.

 

[emt11]

I like this one, just saying.

 

[Tigger]

A.freaking.men.

And speaking of men, I think the medium duty helps firefighters trapped in the EMS role feel more manly.

I preach about this all the time, and nobody ever listens because they are tired of hearing me talk.

One of the biggest problems with municipalities spending the money to buy stuff like this is that they never, ever consult the high-functioning private agencies to see what they're doing.

I've seen a Type III configured so well that it had plenty of room in the backboard compartment for the reeves and stair chair, so that all the compartments on the driver side could be given over to gear and air packs. Voila, a perfect fire/medic unit.

In our rural area, we rely on the medic crews to fill out the engine crews on the rare occasion there's actually a working fire. They need to have air packs they brought to the scene, but not at the expense of driving a behemoth.

They are just so stinking manly, though.

With most manufactures, the difference between the largest box you can get on a Type 1 compared to a Type III is usually around a whopping six inches. Van chassis are so much cheaper, it amazes me how many fire departments around Massachusetts use giant Internationals yet operate on well paved suburban roads. Not to mention that one can still have the biggest box available and 4WD by putting it on an F450 and it will still be far cheaper.

 

[usalsfyre]

My favorites are the guys who claim type IIs are "too small" and then turn around and say they want to be flight medics h34r:

I've yet to find anything they do better than any other truck, and a lot they are far worse at.

 

[rescue1]

We use medium duties... Big medium duties. I still have yet to hear a convincing reason why. The type IIIs are plenty big enough, unless you're planning on mounting rescue tools on the unit. I'm also convinced the type IIIs have smoother rides.

 

[abckidsmom]

My favorites are the guys who claim type IIs are "too small" and then turn around and say they want to be flight medics h34r:
.

Lol.

 

[TransportJockey]

My favorites are the guys who claim type IIs are "too small" and then turn around and say they want to be flight medics h34r:

I've yet to find anything they do better than any other truck, and a lot they are far worse at.

This. I love my Type II. In the rural areas I work, box trucks don't fit down a lot of the roads. I've worked in Type I, II, III, and medium duties and I still love vans the most. I can reach everything pretty much while I'm strapped in. We don't work codes en route (I don't transport dead bodies), so a Type II is just fine for my rural 911 work

EDIT: And I've done CCT type calls in a type II, and have had no troubles

 

[rwik123]

Local critical care team....largest ambulance I've ever seen.

 

[emt11]

Local critical care team....largest ambulance I've ever seen.

I think you should look at the picture I posted, I'd say their pretty close to being the same size.

 

[rwik123]

I think you should look at the picture I posted, I'd say their pretty close to being the same size.

Definitely close. The one I posted can hold one stretcher from one sidewall to sidewall and another the long way.

 

[Danno]

Local critical care team....largest ambulance I've ever seen.

Wow. I want to see a picture of the inside

 

[abckidsmom]

We're taking the family on a road trip this year. I want to take that truck, as long as someone else is paying for the gas. 5 kids shoudl have plenty of room to spread out in there, and we may not even need a hotel room if we can install a shower in teh backboard compartment.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Almost every fire department around runs something like this...

Most departments have 2 or three. Can you say "overkill"?