BRADENTON, FL – Medtec Ambulance, part of the Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] Fire & Emergency segment, delivered seven Medtec M170 Type I ambulances to the Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Department (LVFR) in Las Vegas, Nev. The custom “rescue” ambulances, designed together by LVFR and Medtec, will be placed into service in late April, and deployed throughout the city.
“The new Medtec rescue ambulances are engineered to deliver exceptional patient care and paramedic safety,” said Tim Orenic, EMS Coordinator for LVFR. EMS Coordinator Orenic and the Members of the LVF&R Apparatus Spec Committee were instrumental in developing the innovative ambulance configuration. “Every component inside the ambulance is ergonomically designed to keep paramedics seat belted, and eliminate the need for them to stand up during transport. We’re keeping it simple, safe, and efficient in the back.”
Paramedic safety and patient care are heightened through the vehicles’ thoughtful design. Crewmembers are made comfortable in three captain-style seats strategically positioned around the patient and cot, and their equipment is within arm’s reach while seat belted. Equipment is kept in lower compartments and is located, in duplicate, on both sides of the unit to be quickly accessed by crewmembers on either side.
By removing all overhead compartments (and relocating equipment to lower compartments), crewmembers have no need to stand – and can remain seat belted – throughout transport. The action area is substantially more open, easier to negotiate before and after transport, and can be viewed by the driver via a front-mounted monitor situated in the overhead console.
“These innovative ambulances represent a detailed project collaboration, and we believe the configuration can be applied to many other EMS departments across the country,” said Dan Peters, Pierce Manufacturing and Medtec Ambulance senior vice president of sales. “The bottom line is that this is a new approach to patient transport and paramedic safety, and we’re proud to work with such a respected and innovative department on their development and refinement.”
The vehicles also house a third A/C unit for pre-cooling while at the station, and to ensure climate control for medications during extreme heat conditions. An insulated hypothermia cooler (for cooling cardiac arrest patients) that is securely mounted in the unit saves space while simultaneously reducing draw on the unit’s electrical system.
“With these new Medtec vehicles we are changing the culture of what’s been done in the past, and we’re excited to have them on the street,” added Orenic. “Our team is ready to perform patient care firsthand with the new rescue ambulances.”
The “rescue” ambulances are built on Freightliner M2 chassis, and each features a 170-inch module aluminum body, 74-inches of interior headroom, rear air ride suspension and an advanced multiplexed electronics systems.
Las Vegas Fire & Rescue serves the city of Las Vegas, and its population of more than 600,000, with fire protection, fire prevention, and emergency medical services. In 2011, LVFR was one of the busiest EMS departments in the nation, responding to more than 92,000 incidents a year and completing more than 17,000 patient transports.
More coverage of FDIC 2012 available through www.fireapparatus.com/fdic
