LAFD's New Rescues (Ambulances) 2010 Ram/Northstar

[x635 4,066]

Wow, Los Angeles City FD has made a drastic change in their rescue fleet. Apparently, they have dumped both Ford and Wheeled Coach, and are now using Type I's with a Dodge Ram chasis and Braun Northwest-Northstar modules (no affiliation to Braun). Also, some really cool new features and looks like they spec'd for heavy call volume.....

This WAS a HUGE contract for Wheeled Coach, but they still build for other large cities like Dallas and now New York City.

See here for photos:

http://www.braunnw.com/popup.php?id=492

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Very interesting looking bus. When are they do for delivery? Does anyone know they height of the box? It looks quite short. Best of luck with the rigs LAFD!

[mfc2257 464]

Orange County Fire Rescue (FL) has gone away from their extensive fleet of commercial chassis Rescues (ambulances) and Medics to Dodge chassis as well. Not sure who is making the box.

[x635 4,066]

Not sure who is making the box.

Wheeled Coach. You can always ID a Wheeled Coach by the "corner cap lights" on the module.

[27east 19]

I believe FDNY is going with 4dr Rams on their next order.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I am curious to see how the dodge ram chassis holds up to emergency duty. there are not many dodge trucks in emergency services....

[mfc2257 464]

I am curious to see how the dodge ram chassis holds up to emergency duty. there are not many dodge trucks in emergency services....

Dodge missed out on years of sales by not offering a straight chassis version of their vehicles like Ford and GM have which is why they haven't been in this market.. They've been missing out on the van market for years as well.

I've owned Chevy, Ford, and currently a Dodge truck and I am confident that the Ram will hold up fine under emergency service conditions in the most demanding of cities. It is the toughest, most solid truck I've owned or driven. It's not smooth and quiet like a GM Duramax, it doesn't have the awesome interior or raw power of the Ford Super Duty with the new diesel, but its Cummins Built 6.7L 350/650 diesel runs like hell, the interior is tough, and nothing on the rig shakes. I live on rough cobble stoned streets in Winter Park, FL that chew up and spit out other vehicles, and with the 60k miles I've got on my rig, I haven't had to replace and suspension bits or realign the truck.

Edited December 15, 2010 by mfc2257