Vans Vs. Mods

[x635 4,066]

I don't understand why some fire districts don't require a Type I or III ambulance for their EMS contracts? With some of the transport times in Dutchess County, as well as the calls, and safety of the crew, I'm sure a mod would be a lot better off.

You can get a Type III Chevrolet/Wheeled Coach Citimedic for a good price, and they are very nice units.

Edited February 3, 2009 by x635
Split from "Beekman" Photo Topic

[20y2 43]

I don't understand why these fire districts don't require a Type I or III ambulance for these contracts? With some of the transport times in Dutchess County, as well as the calls, and safety of the crew, I'm sure a mod would be a lot better off.

You can get a Type III Chevrolet/Wheeled Coach Citimedic for a good price, and they are very nice units.

What would transport times have to do with a mini-mod? As for the safety, I also don't see a difference.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I don't understand why these fire districts don't require a Type I or III ambulance for these contracts? With some of the transport times in Dutchess County, as well as the calls, and safety of the crew, I'm sure a mod would be a lot better off.

You can get a Type III Chevrolet/Wheeled Coach Citimedic for a good price, and they are very nice units.

I really don't see what the difference is being in a van either. In regard to safety..don't see any difference here either. I've never seen anything ever mentioned where an outcome would have been different with a mod then a van. When your in the back and unsecured it certainly won't make a difference. As I said before if something occurred where I had to switch to a bus in my municipality...I would push for a van for cost and size reasons. Do I like a box...sure..doesn't bother me...but I can also be realistic for what the needs are.

[x635 4,066]

Because the towns don't want to pay for a type III. I never had an issue with a van when i worked in dutchess, it really was all relative in my eyes.

What would transport times have to do with a mini-mod? As for the safety, I also don't see a difference.

I really don't see what the difference is being in a van either. In regard to safety..don't see any difference here either. I've never seen anything ever mentioned where an outcome would have been different with a mod then a van. When your in the back and unsecured it certainly won't make a difference. As I said before if something occurred where I had to switch to a bus in my municipality...I would push for a van for cost and size reasons. Do I like a box...sure..doesn't bother me...but I can also be realistic for what the needs are.

I liked working in a van when I worked in Mount Vernon, I swore by them. Everything was within your reach easily and they could be manuvered through tight city streets easily. But things change, and I guess it all depends on the system.Transport times, in my system even going Priority 1 traffic to the ED can be in excess of hour. We do everything from Urban 911 to Rural 911 to critical care transfers in a single shift, and often spend 24 hours in the truck.

If you have a critical care patient with a vent, pumps, etc from one of the "band aid stations" way out in rural, and I mean rural, Texas, it can be more then that. It's not comfortable going to the hospital in a van, especially if you're a larger patient or paramedic. And if I have to do an ALS job to Dallas (3 hours-Parkland Burn Center), San Antonio (Brooks Army Medical Center Burn Unit, 2 hours) or Houston/Galveston (Texas Prison Hospital 4-5 hours), or hurricane evacuations, the van is impractical and just plain uncomfortable for all those involved.

Also, with all the equipment I have to carry- vent, pump, CPAP, tubings, complete set turnout gear x 2, SCBA, in addition to two sets of ALS gear, etc, the van doesn't have enough room. (We don't have stairchairs, though- and I have yet to do one job that reqiured one down here!)

The cost difference is not that much between a Type II and some models of a Type III, especially considering you can get a longer lifespan out of a mod because you can remount/refurbish it. An agency like Transcare can also have a price advantage due to the amount of units they purchase. Safety wise, a mod can take an impact better then a van, and can often be repaired in situations in which a van would be considered totalled. Additionally, I find the duallies found on a mod to make the ambulance more stable in evasive manuvers and when making a side to side movement.

I see where it's economical for BLS transfers and simple ALS runs in an urban and suburban enviroment. But for the reasons mentioned above, vans are becoming more and more obsolete, just like the old "Station Wagon" style ambulances did, and over the next few years you're going to see some manufacturers start to phase out Type II from their offerings, as several already have.