22 August 2013

New ambulances

| johnboy
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simon corbell

Simon Corbell has announced four new meatwagons hitting the ACT’s roads:

Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Simon Corbell, today handed over the keys to four new ambulance vehicles for the ACT Ambulance Service, worth a total of $1 million.

“Funded in the 2012/13 budget at $250,000 each, two of the vehicles will support the increase in front line crewing of our ambulance service from nine to 10 crews on a 24/7 basis that started in April this year.” Mr Corbell said.

“The other two vehicles will replace existing emergency ambulances that are nearing, or have reached, the end of their useable life on the front line.”

A new type of attendant seat has been incorporated in the rear patient compartment of the vehicles, which can swivel 180 degrees on a recessed floor track. Known as ‘Douglas Tracking’, the system is commonly found on aircraft and will give intensive care paramedics better access to patients when providing treatment en-route to hospital.

Other new features include environmentally friendly, lightweight, rechargeable torches, and improved restraint of portable emergency radios in the front cabin.

Changes have also been made to storage cabinets to accommodate a range of therapeutic equipment and pharmacy products.

The vehicles were built by Varley Specialist Vehicles in Brisbane and are based on the Mercedes Benz 319 chassis, which comply with Euro 5 Emissions Standards (acceptable limits for exhaust emissions).

“The new vehicles feature the latest in driver and passenger safety technology including traction control, electronic brake distribution, brake assist and driver and passenger airbags,” Mr Corbell said.

This brings the total fleet to 24.

[Photo Courtesy Simon Corbell’s office]

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watto23 said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

As I said; fire brigade, police, somehow they overcome it better.

watto23 said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

Good to see someone understands basic physics. Though now the whingers above will say but it only happens for ambulances, not police or fire trucks.

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

c_c™ said :

bundah said :

…it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times.

Advice like that does explain how so many people manage to tail end cars in peak hour on the Parkway.
You need only do the maths to see how dangerous that is.

You do it regularly according to the conditions, 10 sec cycles is fine.

Actually I think you’ll find that travelling too close to the vehicle in front and therefore not allowing sufficient time to brake in the event of someone decelerating rapidly is the predominant reason why there are multiple car pileups on roads as opposed to checking mirrors, which takes a split second, in order to observe what is happening behind and beside one’s vehicle.

bundah said :

…it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times.

Advice like that does explain how so many people manage to tail end cars in peak hour on the Parkway.
You need only do the maths to see how dangerous that is.

You do it regularly according to the conditions, 10 sec cycles is fine.

ScienceRules10:06 am 23 Aug 13

harvyk1 said :

ScienceRules said :

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.

Why would the night shift use a different van to the day shift?

Because often at shift change the other crew is out on a job so there needs to be a vehicle available for the incoming crew. Also, they get driven pretty hard so using the same vehicle 24 hours a day probably isn’t a good idea.

ScienceRules said :

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.

Why would the night shift use a different van to the day shift?

eily said :

c_c™ said :

eily said :

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

Nope, music isn’t too loud, I’m still frequently able to hear the blearing music from the P platers next to me at the lights. Beside the point really, some people do play music loud, so ACTAS has to respond to that. If audible sirens don’t work, install some rumblers on the fleet.

Have never had an issue hearing fire brigade vehicles or police behind, or even at a distance.

The issue is mounting and what frequency of siren. I don’t know where they mount them on ACTAS vehicles, but looking at the front of them, it looks like a lot more stuff in the way of the grill (assuming that’s where it is) than on Fire Brigade and Police vehicles. The frequency is lower than the new fire brigade vehicles too.

Although it might just be as simple as they’re travelling under lights and only turn on the siren when they get behind a vehicle they want out of the way and/or are approaching traffic lights. Seen (heard) that happen.

While there are occasions where one initially hears a blaring siren before seeing the emergency vehicle it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times. In my experience there are far too many who do not put this into practise and are often caught out which must infuriate those in emergency vehicles.

c_c™ said :

eily said :

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

Nope, music isn’t too loud, I’m still frequently able to hear the blearing music from the P platers next to me at the lights. Beside the point really, some people do play music loud, so ACTAS has to respond to that. If audible sirens don’t work, install some rumblers on the fleet.

Have never had an issue hearing fire brigade vehicles or police behind, or even at a distance.

The issue is mounting and what frequency of siren. I don’t know where they mount them on ACTAS vehicles, but looking at the front of them, it looks like a lot more stuff in the way of the grill (assuming that’s where it is) than on Fire Brigade and Police vehicles. The frequency is lower than the new fire brigade vehicles too.

Although it might just be as simple as they’re travelling under lights and only turn on the siren when they get behind a vehicle they want out of the way and/or are approaching traffic lights. Seen (heard) that happen.

ScienceRules7:58 am 23 Aug 13

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

eily said :

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

Nope, music isn’t too loud, I’m still frequently able to hear the blearing music from the P platers next to me at the lights. Beside the point really, some people do play music loud, so ACTAS has to respond to that. If audible sirens don’t work, install some rumblers on the fleet.

Have never had an issue hearing fire brigade vehicles or police behind, or even at a distance.

The issue is mounting and what frequency of siren. I don’t know where they mount them on ACTAS vehicles, but looking at the front of them, it looks like a lot more stuff in the way of the grill (assuming that’s where it is) than on Fire Brigade and Police vehicles. The frequency is lower than the new fire brigade vehicles too.

Nice .. though it’s a Sprinter SWB chassis and the 319 tells you the engine size … $250k each – so $60k van and $190k of fit-out! Not that medical kit is ever cheap.

Don’t spose any of these new Benzes are 4WD? It’s always good to see 2nd hand 4wd vans on the market – when they sell them off in a few years!

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Took the words out of my mouth. I believe they should have 360 degree sirens – better for everyone that way.

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

‘Meatwagons’? That’s a lovely word!

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