Hey thanks so much for dropping by, this was a very important and big project for us and Im hoping we ticked all the boxed but if you have any constructive notes for us please drop them below so the next one can be even better, cheers - brad BLUE LIGHT EMOJI Available with RescueFit Memberships!
I don't like the 999 system on the same separate console copy the AA will have done to their vans integrated beacon system into the entertainment system
I am an EMT in the U.S, I have to say I absolutely ove the british and to a greater extent European style of ambulances. Quite modular and even tho its rather small its not exactly cramped from the looks of it. Overall a neat unit however i am supprised you guys have rarely got the power load system there, that has been an amazing piece of kit over across the pond here i am supprised you guys have not really adopted it.
@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 thanks for the message, I think the power systems will be seen more often now, engines and regulations are starting to dictate designs of the overall vehicles though rather than the most functional
@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 ambulances differ quite a lot across Europe. Thus you would barely see such small box ambulances being used as ALS Emergency Ambulance in Germany
Why are they all trying to move away from Mercedes? I understand the c1 problem but the Mercedes have been proven with some still going past 10 years with good reliability and build quality and enough storage and seats for any situation.
Because Mercedes makes the most unreliable vehicle on the road, in terms of the expense in repairing its constant faults this side of 2018. Once warranty is up? You’re in a heap of financial worry. Ready for two gearboxes in one year on a 2022 c class merc at 12 grand a head? And the problems still not fixed? Not to mention the other problems that now crept up as it sat for 6 weeks? 😉✅ that’s why haha
see alot of people hating the MAN box body but cant say i really have much trouble as someone who has been 3rd manning on one and just as a double crew there is plenty of space for bags and can stand up straight, and ive been using them for just over a year. think its just having to adapt to the truck but not hate to any other trucks, love them all
No space for the crew to put their personal bags or PPE, if there’s a student or third person onboard this issue gets a lot worse. Very limited seating for relatives
Who cares about the crew? EAAT certainly don't . Never have. Also , are these 2 litre diesel engines with wetbelt? So probably won't last . A friend in the trust said very cramped in the rear, and no cannot go to prison to collect patients as not sufficient space for inmate, guard and ambulance staff in the rear.
@@rickywilson1663 yes good point but we only have this on a few vehicles at the service I also work at. This maybe due to the fact that a speed camera ‘ticket’ that comes through would be checked on the database at the 999 end to see if the crew were assigned to an emergency as they could potentially put the blues on just to avoid a speeding ticket.
I think it’s an interesting change. My employer switched from Mercedes Sprinters to the new transits. From a driving perspective they are poor - the driving position is low and it has very bad manoeuvrability with an inadequate turning circle.
I think we will see many variants on the UK roads including FIAT, MAN, VW, FORD, Merc. The rear of the units will continue to change between conversion specialists and the trusts they are providing for.
Really enjoyed this and a couple of your other videos. My career has nothing to do with medicine but I find it really interesting to see the extent to which we can bring the hospital to the patient. I’ve often pondered if the “scoop and run” approach is better than delaying transport to stabilise patients. The advancing capabilities of emergency vehicles presumably has a bearing on that equation. I guess it’s not what your channel is aimed at, but I’d love a future video with a tour of a fully stocked ‘working’ ambulance… just what is in there besides oxygen, suction, a defib and a ton of bandages? The public have an idea what doctors and nurses do but paramedic capabilities are a bit of a blind spot and I think you have an opportunity to fill that in. The role of paramedics in drama usually portrays the skills as being quite crude because it looks good for the camera. And finally, you’ve asked in some videos what emergency vehicle do we want to see more of. Well… the Gravity Industries jet pack has millions of UA-cam views. Last we heard was a trial in the Lake District a couple of years ago… it would be good to see what it is, the applications, and if it’s proved itself better than the alternatives. The production values of your videos are really good by the way. No stupid loud music drowning you out. Clear photography and good illumination. And you have the enthusiasm of 5 of me!
Hi Thanks so much for your message, really appreciate your thoughts. Creating these videos and putting myself out there for the world can be quite tough to get my head around but Im glad they can reach an audience here and have some value. Theres lots to think about with scoop and run vs stay and play but every year pre-hospital medicine best practice incorporates learning from studies that effects the advice. My aim is to 100% make contact with organisations that have fully stocked working vehicles so we can go over all the kit and equipment to discuss it for viewers. Thanks for the recommendation too. We will try and feature road crew too so they can have their opinion and share ideas. Ive spotted gravity industries online and will make contact with them too! The lake district trial is a really interesting concept as with the royal marines collaboration they did too. Thank you so much again for your support and feedback it really is making these videos worth while and I hope to tailor them to audience requests in some way. Brad
@@graysono hi thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, I really appreciate the kind feedback! I hope to see you for the next one and thanks for subscribing! What kind of vehicle would you like to see next?
@@graysono yea depending on area and grade they are most likely paramedics who are officers or those just on a ‘car line’ but could also be urgent car or critical care. SUV or light goods vans are being used more because they fit more kit in them potentially. Will keep an eye out for an opportunity to tour one 👌🏻
I've been a bus enthusiast since the age of 2 and I'm autistic, but I do also like emergency vehicles though I do tend to cover my ears if I see one with sirens on as I don't like the noise.
We've just received 2 MAN Vehicles, not a fan of the stretchers and less space to store equipment and no area for crew bags. I know we all complain out fiats, but I'll have one any day
My dream job is to work for the ambulance service and can't think of anything else I would want to do for work. And last year I got my C1 license which I would need for driving the ambulances so hopefully will be driving one of these in the near future.
Thanks so much for the message, really great to hear from someone starting their journey. Hope it all goes well, you can always ask for support along the way
Very nice looking unit. The only issue is the small 4cly engine. A big heavy ambulance needs a V6 in my opinion just for that extra torque. I am from Australia & we use V6 Mercedes Benz sprinter vans.
Im sure all the crews would love a big engine but the UK is heading the other way with the NHS looking to be 'net zero' by 2030, do you think Australia will do the same?
@@RescueFit No chance in Australia I am in the state of Victoria & we just signed a new 5 year deal with Mercedes Benz to continue to supply our ambulance service with V6 diesel vans. We also signed a new deal with BMW to supply our Police force with new patrol cars that have High output petrol & diesel engines. We travel vast distances sometimes up to 300-350 miles in a single night shift. We can be sent to jobs up to 60-70miles from our home base. At least for our emergency services they haven’t made such a commitment.
@@kaij.d7307 yes but only selected traffic cars. You still have those horrible panda cars which can’t get out their own way. Even our base general duties cars are reasonably high powered (aka around 220bhp). Even our latest model divisional van is 225 bhp.
@@kaij.d7307Not any more, BMW have stopped supplying emergency services with vehicles in the UK. The vast majority of police vehicles are diesel, the Met is the only one with a significant number of petrol vehicles.
The rear of the vehicle has one seat for the attendant, a 'jump-seat' or 'airway' seat which could also seat a relative. Also I don't believe there are any trusts that object to relatives sitting in the front of a vehicle.
Allowing a family member to ride along must be a British thing. In Australia there are only very few reasons why you'd want a relative in the back. On most occasions they just drive to hospital in their own car (that way they have transport home). There are some people you just DO NOT want sitting in the front. That's your office, and the last thing you want is some slightly incontinent or unhygienic person there. We use Mercedes Sprinters and many elderly can't climb up into a front seat anyway.
Hi Arthur, Im sorry I don't have that much of details specs for you, the vehicle is operated by EEAST and constructed from a FORD chassis and converted by WAS in case you wanted to try and find out yourself. Simply put, they are missing some compartments and storage locations (plus the kit that would be inside), less seats for passengers and overall a smaller unit. They are *NOT* replacing all of EEAST's vehicles however and just a small collection of vehicles in the current fleet plan. Thanks for watching
Oh nice, I have seen pictures of some similar box shapes this year, Im trying to find a LAS contact to try and work with them to bring you a 'London' video soon!
From my understanding this B-Class is a trial unit and only a small number will be placed into service, more units from other conversion specialists will appear this year and into 2025 for EEAST.
I like the fact that manufacturers are still trying to use the box layout as I feel the van conversion like the Fiat Ducato just isn't wide enough. I haven't seen the stretcher glide system in person yet but my initial view is that it's really low should you need to have ongoing treatment en route to the hospital. Ok if you're a short para, I appreciate there is a seat to sit in but if you need to move about, it means kneeling down a lot. That said, it clearly has benefits for quick transfer as opposed to the tail lift. The auto 'box is amazing. Does the driving seating position and space address the Fiat Ducato's issue for taller staff? Aesthetically I do prefer a wind deflector above the cab and integrated lights to help reduce the flat-fronted drag, also comes in handy for extra storage. This could be a cost-saving exercise? I would like to have seen a bit more space on the top 'desk area'. When treating quickly you would need space to drug modules, cannulation plus possible precautionary prep for other interventions. Interesting to see only one passenger seat in addition to the airway seat. There is a lot of storage for equipment on show, brackets and straps. We all know these become very well used quickly and not being encased means a lot more noise. We've just started having the new stretcher straps here in the SW node for SCAS and I really don't like them. I get they are better for cleaning/hygiene etc by they are appallingly hard to loosen/tighten if you're moving quickly plus I really do not like the cross-over for the upper body. We all know patient's slide down the bed and this is a hazard waiting to happen IMO. I like the quick access for the spare battery for the stretcher and the position of the white board. SO much is accessible from the airway seat, looks ace! The open access for primary/secondary response bags is good inside too. The one thing I liked about the Fiat is the rack for gloves between the front seats. Really handy, hope they are fitted to these if it makes production. Nice video Brad, really well presented. Cheers
A Better concept is an all in one Crew Cab/Body build that is Longer with Rear Steer also incorporated. The crew cab would be rear facing seats behind the driver, 2 for Relatives and one for a Paramedic that rotates and moves along the middle of the vehicle floor on sunken rails or slots, then you can have two potential stretchers one on both sides. Have a sliding floor Ramp that comes out from under main interior floor and when wheels of Trolley hit stoplock, it moves into a level position by electric or hydraulics. Body would need to be 6ft longer to work well but with steering wheels and lift, plus it gives you more room, for Crew kit bags near rear doors for ease of access either on racks or one twin lockable locker. For more kit onboard, you could implement underside body lockers like Coaches and Busses have. These vehicles could /should be used by 3 crew members for Motorway or major `A` road RTa`s use. One driver and 2 Paramedics/Operators. Finally, something that has always puzzled me is why, on most patient Trolley/Stretchers, is why, considering patients with Spinal injuries need a smooth ride to the Ambulance/Medevac, do they still use Hard solid Rubber Tyres? Surely the Pneumatic tyres available these days would take much more of the shock out of the uneven Paths, roads Driveways you have to navigate. Yes i know the vehicle is going to be heavier than the one shown, but it still could be within the typical weight of the common large Mercedes Sprinters. Surely a move to Ford is a step backwards for outright Power and reliability
If it comes in under 3.5t it will be popular not requiring a C1. Soon as I see brackets on back doors though for carry/Stryker chairs you have designed an Achilles heal as those hinges won’t take the weight overtime!
Very nice layout. I'm in Australia where we typically use Mercedes Sprinter vans with the V6 motor. When we introduced them a vehicle design committee had a great deal of input into the design. Yours ticks all the boxes in what I'd like in an ambulance, albeit the 4-cylinder Transit (only because they have a poor reputation in Australia for power and reliability). Just curious as to the service life and secondary market for these? We'll typically keep our units for about 350,000 km or 7 years. After that they can be stripped in about 12 hours. They're very popular as a cheap government disposal van and easily recognised by the polycarbonate bullbar and rooftop air conditioner pod. British ambulances have a similar layout to Australian ones with a forward-facing patient care seat next to the stretcher, and what we call an airway seat at the head of the stretcher. Much better than the US layouts. Many thanks for showing us your product. You're on a very "paramedic friendly" layout there.
Nice to see it's similar in Australia to how it is in Ireland, we use the Mercedes Sprinter chasis on a box slightly bigger than the one in the video and follow similar principals, a limit of 200,000km or 6 years in service and a good number of them get handed down to charity ambulance services. Back in 2020 we abandoned lightbars for a similar beacon light setup as the one in the video has, very handy for maintenance. The company that builds ambulances here in Ireland copy and pastes nearly the same entire setup on our National Ambulance Service and Fire Service ambulances onto some ambulances they make for British agencies so I'd imagine the principals may be very similar there.
thanks for spending time to watch and comment, really appreciate the community here in the comments, hope to see you next time. I think the life of a UK NHS ambulance is about 4-5 years and 150,000 to 200,000 miles ? anyone else got an idea?
Well I am pleased I dont have to drive that. When I worked for a different British ambulance service we had the lovely Bedfords. When I left the Mercedes had just arrived.
From my understanding there is no fridge and crews will be asked to reduce their 'kit' to helmet and high-vis, please seek official guidance from EEAST if you are under their operational care. Thanks!
Why is getting a C1 license such an issue? You need extensive additional training to drive an emergency vehicle anyway. Just get the licence and get an ambulance that's big enough to do everything you might need to do with it.
@@RescueFit we've never been waiting for that long; Things really have to change there ... When we talk about a long wait at the ER, we're talking about 10 to 20 minutes. But that's extremly long then
Not a fan of newer ambulances as when I have been in one recently my wife has to follow in our vehicle to bring my wheelchair as there was no ramp or way of securing my wheelchair. This would be a problem if my wife was not available. As a disabled patient with complex health and a frequent user of healthcare services It would be nice if an ambulance was accessible.
Quite an understandable request for the ability to transport patient belongings and wheel chair aids but in the emergency setting they must just do the essential for transport to the ED. PTS (patient transport service - non emergency trips) vehicles have more space and ways to transport extra items.
Just curious if they will discontinue the Mercedes? I think a nice feature would be a sliding door to access the front of the ambulance from the back as I can see it being useful
Hi thanks for question, it’s unlikely we will see this doorway back on a modern vehicle due to the cost implications and loss of space where this hatch was located. Just my personal opinion as usual on that but the chassis and cab is a solid unit, the box effectively being bolted on top. I wonder if the box could ever be re-used and swapped out onto another chassis if ever required.
The National Ambulance Service in Ireland used to remount boxes for a while. It was cheaper than buying a new ambulance. But the boxes would only last about 12-15 years.
There is no storage room at all. Only 2 chairs so not room if you need to transport HEMS, 3rd manner and a relative. Where are our kit bags supposed to live?
Definitely missing extra space for this however I guess crews will have to reduce their kit to just a helmet and high vis, spare uniform to be left on base? If HEMS need a lift they can sit in the back on their own as they have earned their adult badges many years ago.
This is actually atrocious. First of all, looks. Looks like an inbred van had sex with a box body. Second of all, as many paramedics have pointed out in the comment section, there is zero space for crew's personal kit or additional staff. Also pointed out by others is it's useless for prison runs. Zero room for ambulance crew and prison staff. Just truly horrendous, and don't even get me started on those shipping container looking back doors.
I think the aim is to get attention from those in front as the rear view mirror of drivers should be aimed at their face, the white lights are usually only active during the day time when 'dipped beam' is not active.
Wet belt engine wont last the hammering, no space for ppe, no way of getting a chair case into the saloon, rear light controls in the wrong place, will be cheaper no doubt😅
The aspect Paramedics loved about the Fiats over the Mercedes was the fact the bed was in the middle. Shame to see it reverted but I can understand why due to space. Have these Fords been rolled out in London? These are impressive
This unit was commissioned by EEAST so the LAS vehicles may be different, would love to head down to have a look at theirs too. Any requests for a follow up video?
I hate fiat ambulances if I needed an ambulance I'm not gonna get in a fiat ambulance I will request a Mercedes one which are more reliable and not on the news like the fiats
@@CameronI0603 thanks it’s much appreciated. I would call this video a ‘tour’ rather than a review however as I would not be able to produce these with the consent of the services they belong to if I highlighted negative attributes within the content and therefore they are too bias to be called a review. Hope that makes sense. I will try to get sirens and a test drive in the next one.
What is it with Ford? Even the panel vans 10 years ago had doors that don't lock open. In a windy environment, they will slam shut and maybe hit someone.
Here in Essex we have the fiat dacto lite ambulance which are unreliable they keep breaking down thay we're on the news last year due to problems I hope to see them on the road in my area
I know what your thinking but I 'heard' (and would have to get clarification) that the covers are required for IPC reasons and the embroidery was a no-cost add on.
Theres the 'penny pinching pound spending' attitute that has made the modern uk ambulance service what it is today. Never change! How much really do you think those seatcovers cost? Like the "we spent our entire budget in just 4 months from the financial year, now theres no money so cancel overtime and crack down on incentives and any luxuries... and tea" - London Ambulance Service. Next we should just buy brand new grey blobs for £200,000 each, nothing wrong with the existing blobs but they're not 'universal' enough, worse in every way, their 'innovations' completely useless in certain parts of the uk... but also we should have every piece of intrest, uniqueness, and individuality sandblasted off.... and now its electric... but we cant afford the electricity.... so our uniform is going to be made worse quality and more uncomfortable... and generic. You wont know which Trust is arriving. "Hello, NHS ambulance service!"
50p says all new UK ambulance engines will be 2.0 in 2025. And then hybrids. And then electric post 2030(ish) Sidenote: Anyone with a heart attack needs a smooth and safe journey to hospital making progression when possible but avoiding risks. So 2.0 should handle that, I think.
If you weren't religious before you'd certainly start praying if this turned up. With that awful 2.0 ecoblue engine you can't guarantee you'd make it to the hospital
Do these vehicles still require a C1 to drive plus it’s strange that they have reverted to the stretcher on the side vs in the middle or is it that the stretcher is on the side because they are smaller than the fiat because it certainly looks smaller which is why I’m wondering if it still requires a C1
@zcharged8294 wrong type the reg in dvla EA24 JCU revenue weight ie fully kitted is 3500kg. so that's kitted why it has only one passenger seat in the rear.
@@jamesgriffiths3057 I presume that vehicle is being used for demonstration purposes only and therefore remains unkitted and has been issued that weight by the DVLA for that reason. for vehicles that are actually being used on the road to attend to incidents, my understanding is that they require C1 once fully stocked. unless there is somewhere where East of England have specified otherwise and have made themselves the exception to this out of all English ambulance services, I understand this applies to all services presently if any service has managed to get around that problem I would be very interested to hear about how they have managed to do that so it can be shared across all services
@zcharged8294 this vehicle has been built to be a b license fully kitted this is not a demo vehicle look it up online they have made to meet car license rules, has no one gets c1 on their license anymore so have to pay to get it 800 upwards so lots of people can't drive c1. they have been at this year's. was and other manufacturers have been trying to get vehicles down to 3500kg for this reason. the fiat's are all 4250 revenue weight fully kitted and with upto 3 passengers and crew. this vehicle only had 1 rear seat. fiat's have 3 rear seats.
Here in Essex we have the fiat light ambulance which are always breaking down and ending up on the back of a tow truck I see them all the time breaking down an Ending up at the depot
Like the Ambulance, Although not having the ramp makes it harder for older members of the public/Disabled members of the public that aren't on the Stretcher to get into the Ambulance. I don't know if there is other ways for them to get on, But would be good for them to.
We have always struggled to help people 'up the step'. Tail lifts were handy to avoid this but they add weight to the vehicle and require servicing and risk of breaking. Maybe a mini step lift or smaller steps could help.
The way this has been kitted out is fantastic the build quality looks perfect but as my own company has found out (fleet repair company) the transit 2.0 is the most unreliable worst engine Ford has ever built I’ve lost count of how many of these transits we have had in needing engines combined with the front wheel drive set up constantly blowing gearbox’s and drive shafts I think they’ll be lucky to see 100,000 mile out of these without any major mechanical work, no issues with the kit out just the base van it’s built on will never compare with the sprinters we have seen come through the workshop with 400,000+ on the clock and still going.
8:45 The emissions don't actually matter. Vehicle manufacturers shouldn't have to comply with these stupid regulations. This is still a really cool vehicle.
Well more people won't get a ambulance when needed or won't make it to hospital as the new ford are really unreliable and the wet timing belt will snap so regular that they will need new engine every year or off the road with adblue faults
FORD now state Timing belt will need to be changed every 6yrs or 100,000 miles. I would imagine NHS wouldn't have taken a contract without reassurance from ford.
@RescueFit no the older fiat's with the 3.0 engine are bullet proof. the new 2.2 or 2.0 litre run lock dilutes the thin engine oil and then need a new engine the brand new ones ha e runlock disabled so this doesn't happen.
Actually the fiat burn patient's legs and also paramedics can't drive them thay whre on the news a couple of years ago and now then I got Renault ambulances in my area the fords also have a wet belt issue would like to go for VW ambulance if I ever need an ambulance and if the fit turns up I'm not going it I will tell the staff I would like a Mercedes ambulance or Renault
I hope to god they don't have the wet belt engines from the normal Transit vans, Ford are a terrible choice should have stuck with the Mercedes Sprinter platform.
@@RescueFit I knew about it in the petrol engines but I only learned about the diesel transit engines recently I never assumed the stupidity would stretch so far they'd dare put a wet belt in a diesel engine particularly one for commercial use.
A Transit? Can barely get any worse chassis for an ambulance ... extremly poor driving performance 1:33 really nice driving position? Are you serious? Transits have some of the worst driving positions out there. The old Transit Custo was even worse than the new Transit, but it's still far from good. I'm not a tall man, but after a long busy shift with lots of driving my legs hurt when getting off the Transit There's a reason why the Transits aren't bought for ALS Emergency Ambulances here, only as BLS Transport Ambulances which primarily run non emergency scheduled runs 2:48 no stretcher platform? The stretcher right at the ground? Really? overall it looks like rather little compartment space on that ambulance ...
1:33 yes in my opinion, compare to the FIAT cab, its a nice driving position. Yes I am serious. Nice being about 7/10 on the my knees are safe scale. 2.48 This is pretty normal here I think, the lower the patient cot to the ground the lower the centre of gravity and less body roll. Designers and trusts are hoping to reduce crew movement in the rear to enable them to keep their seatbelts on. You are correct, this is a little compartment, to save weight, thats the whole ideal or the unit. Thanks for watching, you have a great channel
im not sure all the technical equipment in the front of the ambulance is meant to be shown to the public online... the workings of communication systems, call signs etc are protected and not to be given out from government vehicles due to ongoing national terror threat as far as im aware. that is why freedom of information requests have been refused for internal communications by ambulance service (and probably police etc too)
Hi thanks for your concern, I wouldn't want any sensitive information being poorly managed either. The trust has given me access to this vehicle and had been sent the video to be proof viewed. Call signs of the vehicle are on the outside on the truck and so are in full view of the public. These vehicles are in public spaces constantly and so can be viewed at any time such as open days etc, so the inner workings are available to be found anyway. I don't believe I have included any sensitive information but happy to be asked about it. thanks.
The call sign is literally written on each side so anyone can see it!!! The radio was off and no mdt fitted so no information was visible during this video
Under powered Small interior Terrible driving position Bulk head seems to close to steering wheel ( even with adjustment) No thru hatch - Comms tricky Narrower than Mercs Huge gaps / trapping risk when doors open. Hard to internally transfer patient from the chair to the bed Airway chair offset from the bed Inferior to the mercs. Terribly unconnected rear seats Storage bad. Single axel Terrible ride Awful not retractable steps with a cheese grater surface You’ve clearly never worked on one ! It’s awful “It goes into park when you are finished” Wow - terrific review !
@@Ben-oy1td Hi Ben, thanks for visiting the video again. What are you asking if I am happy about please? - your review of the vehicle - your review of my video - my review of the vehicle - the vehicle itself thanks, Brad
@@RescueFityou haven’t really “reviewed” it other than being descriptive about what it looks like. That’s not a review. That’s an observational video. A review is / can be critical. Telling us there are “lots of buttons in the middle” and telling us an auto box has “ park, reverse and drive” is quite the review !
@@Ben-oy1td I agree and that’s why I never referred to it as a review other than it that comment reply. It’s a light hearted tour of a vehicle I was invited to go and see.
You would think that the NHS would have gone fully electric if we are not going diesel and petrol after 2025. Ime ashamed to see them go this way. Shame on you guys.
@@foxylady1048 just to understand your position correctly, are you saying the NHS should go fully electric? And what are you ashamed of, please confirm. Thanks
Hey thanks so much for dropping by, this was a very important and big project for us and Im hoping we ticked all the boxed but if you have any constructive notes for us please drop them below so the next one can be even better, cheers - brad
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I don't like the 999 system on the same separate console copy the AA will have done to their vans integrated beacon system into the entertainment system
It's great now just the three hour wait for help 😮
@@vwgolffancarreviews7111 I wonder if that is possible with the amount of auxiliary system extras in a 999 vehicle
@@KelvinJones-s1v fingers crossed for a quick response!
The idea of having to get a C1 put me off paramedicine, this is definitely great news and something I will be keeping an eye on.
Hi its great to hear from someone hoping to start their journey, thanks for watching! Theres always a way to reach your goals!
The extinguisher is a foam but the sign is for a powder. Technically a non compliant extinguisher too
I saw one of these at my local fire station, they do look very nice and I hope East of England Ambulance keep them.
thanks for watching, there are a few variants coming out this and next year, I hope to do more videos similar, see you next time!
I hope they don't. They are actually really bad for crew to work in, are slow and have no space.
I am an EMT in the U.S, I have to say I absolutely ove the british and to a greater extent European style of ambulances. Quite modular and even tho its rather small its not exactly cramped from the looks of it. Overall a neat unit however i am supprised you guys have rarely got the power load system there, that has been an amazing piece of kit over across the pond here i am supprised you guys have not really adopted it.
@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 thanks for the message, I think the power systems will be seen more often now, engines and regulations are starting to dictate designs of the overall vehicles though rather than the most functional
@@RescueFit Gotta love regulations, we get it over here to and its the bane of our existence sometimes.
This system is the same as Power Load
@@samwalker8893 Yes I am aware, thats why I said I am supprised they are just barely using it now.
@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 ambulances differ quite a lot across Europe. Thus you would barely see such small box ambulances being used as ALS Emergency Ambulance in Germany
Why are they all trying to move away from Mercedes? I understand the c1 problem but the Mercedes have been proven with some still going past 10 years with good reliability and build quality and enough storage and seats for any situation.
Ford is cheaper id imagine
@@shotgunmcshotgun1142Until those shit engines start breaking 😂
@@shotgunmcshotgun1142 until they have to fix the vaporizer every 5k miles
Because Mercedes makes the most unreliable vehicle on the road, in terms of the expense in repairing its constant faults this side of 2018.
Once warranty is up? You’re in a heap of financial worry.
Ready for two gearboxes in one year on a 2022 c class merc at 12 grand a head? And the problems still not fixed? Not to mention the other problems that now crept up as it sat for 6 weeks?
😉✅ that’s why haha
Probably a multiple of reasons why not every service uses a merc, cost being one but also availability and requirements for the conversions.
see alot of people hating the MAN box body but cant say i really have much trouble as someone who has been 3rd manning on one and just as a double crew there is plenty of space for bags and can stand up straight, and ive been using them for just over a year. think its just having to adapt to the truck but not hate to any other trucks, love them all
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Vehicles will continue to evolve and services will use multiple styles for now. Best of luck with your career.
No space for the crew to put their personal bags or PPE, if there’s a student or third person onboard this issue gets a lot worse. Very limited seating for relatives
Who cares about the crew? EAAT certainly don't . Never have.
Also , are these 2 litre diesel engines with wetbelt? So probably won't last .
A friend in the trust said very cramped in the rear, and no cannot go to prison to collect patients as not sufficient space for inmate, guard and ambulance staff in the rear.
Some pros, some cons, but this is a trial unit and will not replace all varients.
Great features! The only thing missing from the blue lights is the gatso light on the rear door.
@@rickywilson1663 yes good point but we only have this on a few vehicles at the service I also work at. This maybe due to the fact that a speed camera ‘ticket’ that comes through would be checked on the database at the 999 end to see if the crew were assigned to an emergency as they could potentially put the blues on just to avoid a speeding ticket.
like that you introduce the full light setup, keep it up!
Thanks so much for the message, very kind, thanks for watching!
I think it’s an interesting change. My employer switched from Mercedes Sprinters to the new transits. From a driving perspective they are poor - the driving position is low and it has very bad manoeuvrability with an inadequate turning circle.
I think we will see many variants on the UK roads including FIAT, MAN, VW, FORD, Merc. The rear of the units will continue to change between conversion specialists and the trusts they are providing for.
Really enjoyed this and a couple of your other videos. My career has nothing to do with medicine but I find it really interesting to see the extent to which we can bring the hospital to the patient. I’ve often pondered if the “scoop and run” approach is better than delaying transport to stabilise patients. The advancing capabilities of emergency vehicles presumably has a bearing on that equation.
I guess it’s not what your channel is aimed at, but I’d love a future video with a tour of a fully stocked ‘working’ ambulance… just what is in there besides oxygen, suction, a defib and a ton of bandages?
The public have an idea what doctors and nurses do but paramedic capabilities are a bit of a blind spot and I think you have an opportunity to fill that in. The role of paramedics in drama usually portrays the skills as being quite crude because it looks good for the camera.
And finally, you’ve asked in some videos what emergency vehicle do we want to see more of. Well… the Gravity Industries jet pack has millions of UA-cam views. Last we heard was a trial in the Lake District a couple of years ago… it would be good to see what it is, the applications, and if it’s proved itself better than the alternatives.
The production values of your videos are really good by the way. No stupid loud music drowning you out. Clear photography and good illumination. And you have the enthusiasm of 5 of me!
Hi Thanks so much for your message, really appreciate your thoughts.
Creating these videos and putting myself out there for the world can be quite tough to get my head around but Im glad they can reach an audience here and have some value.
Theres lots to think about with scoop and run vs stay and play but every year pre-hospital medicine best practice incorporates learning from studies that effects the advice.
My aim is to 100% make contact with organisations that have fully stocked working vehicles so we can go over all the kit and equipment to discuss it for viewers. Thanks for the recommendation too. We will try and feature road crew too so they can have their opinion and share ideas.
Ive spotted gravity industries online and will make contact with them too! The lake district trial is a really interesting concept as with the royal marines collaboration they did too.
Thank you so much again for your support and feedback it really is making these videos worth while and I hope to tailor them to audience requests in some way.
Brad
Much better than the transit vans AMR uses back here in America
Thanks for taking a look, is AMR an organisation?
i disagree amr’s ambulances are cool its just something about this ambulance probably the box or lights that make me not wanna ever drive it
I literally fell onto this video.
A neat watch of an incredible life saving device!
And I subscribed too.
Best from me way Down Under in Middle Earth!
@@graysono hi thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, I really appreciate the kind feedback! I hope to see you for the next one and thanks for subscribing! What kind of vehicle would you like to see next?
@@RescueFit I'd love to see the SUV response vehicles that I see rolling.
Paramedic cars?
@@graysono yea depending on area and grade they are most likely paramedics who are officers or those just on a ‘car line’ but could also be urgent car or critical care. SUV or light goods vans are being used more because they fit more kit in them potentially.
Will keep an eye out for an opportunity to tour one 👌🏻
@@RescueFit
Like Chris Martin EMS who I follow on his First Response car.
ua-cam.com/video/kFWUBKXPhTs/v-deo.htmlsi=ajRWsDwpPE-A8QcN
I've been a bus enthusiast since the age of 2 and I'm autistic, but I do also like emergency vehicles though I do tend to cover my ears if I see one with sirens on as I don't like the noise.
Thank you for watching and commenting, great to hear feedback from viewers, hope to see you in the comments of the next video!
We've just received 2 MAN Vehicles, not a fan of the stretchers and less space to store equipment and no area for crew bags. I know we all complain out fiats, but I'll have one any day
What kind of stretchers are they?
@RescueFit same as the Ford's
Will it be underrated weight limit when fully kitted and a 20 stone patient and two 13 stone crew members onboard
Nice i saw this in west london
thanks for watching, was it LAS or EEAST ?
@@RescueFit It was LAS
@@RescueFit i also saw one which is a levc electric one
My dream job is to work for the ambulance service and can't think of anything else I would want to do for work. And last year I got my C1 license which I would need for driving the ambulances so hopefully will be driving one of these in the near future.
Thanks so much for the message, really great to hear from someone starting their journey. Hope it all goes well, you can always ask for support along the way
Very nice looking unit. The only issue is the small 4cly engine. A big heavy ambulance needs a V6 in my opinion just for that extra torque. I am from Australia & we use V6 Mercedes Benz sprinter vans.
Im sure all the crews would love a big engine but the UK is heading the other way with the NHS looking to be 'net zero' by 2030, do you think Australia will do the same?
@@RescueFit No chance in Australia I am in the state of Victoria & we just signed a new 5 year deal with Mercedes Benz to continue to supply our ambulance service with V6 diesel vans. We also signed a new deal with BMW to supply our Police force with new patrol cars that have High output petrol & diesel engines.
We travel vast distances sometimes up to 300-350 miles in a single night shift. We can be sent to jobs up to 60-70miles from our home base.
At least for our emergency services they haven’t made such a commitment.
@@kaij.d7307 yes but only selected traffic cars. You still have those horrible panda cars which can’t get out their own way.
Even our base general duties cars are reasonably high powered
(aka around 220bhp). Even our latest model divisional van is 225 bhp.
@@kaij.d7307Not any more, BMW have stopped supplying emergency services with vehicles in the UK. The vast majority of police vehicles are diesel, the Met is the only one with a significant number of petrol vehicles.
I literally saw this the other day here in East London
Thanks for watching, I would love to try and get contact for LAS to do a similar video with them
great idea - but NO seat for relatives in the back
The rear of the vehicle has one seat for the attendant, a 'jump-seat' or 'airway' seat which could also seat a relative. Also I don't believe there are any trusts that object to relatives sitting in the front of a vehicle.
Allowing a family member to ride along must be a British thing. In Australia there are only very few reasons why you'd want a relative in the back. On most occasions they just drive to hospital in their own car (that way they have transport home). There are some people you just DO NOT want sitting in the front. That's your office, and the last thing you want is some slightly incontinent or unhygienic person there. We use Mercedes Sprinters and many elderly can't climb up into a front seat anyway.
@@coover65 thanks for the comment! good points, maybe we are trying to please too many people!
@@RescueFitNWAS don't allow anyone in the front
@@sharoko1784 oh thanks, didn’t know anywhere had that rule
8:32 how close to 3.5 tons are they and what is missing
Hi Arthur, Im sorry I don't have that much of details specs for you, the vehicle is operated by EEAST and constructed from a FORD chassis and converted by WAS in case you wanted to try and find out yourself.
Simply put, they are missing some compartments and storage locations (plus the kit that would be inside), less seats for passengers and overall a smaller unit.
They are *NOT* replacing all of EEAST's vehicles however and just a small collection of vehicles in the current fleet plan.
Thanks for watching
We got them down London 😊
Oh nice, I have seen pictures of some similar box shapes this year, Im trying to find a LAS contact to try and work with them to bring you a 'London' video soon!
nice very nice better then the fiat we used to do alot with the ambulances service
thanks for watching, the cab is much more friendly for driver and passenger.
It looks nice but from IPC point of view, you need a few more cupboards. Is there a C1 version so you can get a relative into the back?
From my understanding this B-Class is a trial unit and only a small number will be placed into service, more units from other conversion specialists will appear this year and into 2025 for EEAST.
I like the fact that manufacturers are still trying to use the box layout as I feel the van conversion like the Fiat Ducato just isn't wide enough. I haven't seen the stretcher glide system in person yet but my initial view is that it's really low should you need to have ongoing treatment en route to the hospital. Ok if you're a short para, I appreciate there is a seat to sit in but if you need to move about, it means kneeling down a lot. That said, it clearly has benefits for quick transfer as opposed to the tail lift. The auto 'box is amazing. Does the driving seating position and space address the Fiat Ducato's issue for taller staff? Aesthetically I do prefer a wind deflector above the cab and integrated lights to help reduce the flat-fronted drag, also comes in handy for extra storage. This could be a cost-saving exercise? I would like to have seen a bit more space on the top 'desk area'. When treating quickly you would need space to drug modules, cannulation plus possible precautionary prep for other interventions. Interesting to see only one passenger seat in addition to the airway seat. There is a lot of storage for equipment on show, brackets and straps. We all know these become very well used quickly and not being encased means a lot more noise. We've just started having the new stretcher straps here in the SW node for SCAS and I really don't like them. I get they are better for cleaning/hygiene etc by they are appallingly hard to loosen/tighten if you're moving quickly plus I really do not like the cross-over for the upper body. We all know patient's slide down the bed and this is a hazard waiting to happen IMO. I like the quick access for the spare battery for the stretcher and the position of the white board. SO much is accessible from the airway seat, looks ace! The open access for primary/secondary response bags is good inside too. The one thing I liked about the Fiat is the rack for gloves between the front seats. Really handy, hope they are fitted to these if it makes production. Nice video Brad, really well presented. Cheers
Many thanks for your time watching the video and commenting, appreciate your support and feedback!
A Better concept is an all in one Crew Cab/Body build that is Longer with Rear Steer also incorporated. The crew cab would be rear facing seats behind the driver, 2 for Relatives and one for a Paramedic that rotates and moves along the middle of the vehicle floor on sunken rails or slots, then you can have two potential stretchers one on both sides. Have a sliding floor Ramp that comes out from under main interior floor and when wheels of Trolley hit stoplock, it moves into a level position by electric or hydraulics. Body would need to be 6ft longer to work well but with steering wheels and lift, plus it gives you more room, for Crew kit bags near rear doors for ease of access either on racks or one twin lockable locker. For more kit onboard, you could implement underside body lockers like Coaches and Busses have. These vehicles could /should be used by 3 crew members for Motorway or major `A` road RTa`s use. One driver and 2 Paramedics/Operators. Finally, something that has always puzzled me is why, on most patient Trolley/Stretchers, is why, considering patients with Spinal injuries need a smooth ride to the Ambulance/Medevac, do they still use Hard solid Rubber Tyres? Surely the Pneumatic tyres available these days would take much more of the shock out of the uneven Paths, roads Driveways you have to navigate.
Yes i know the vehicle is going to be heavier than the one shown, but it still could be within the typical weight of the common large Mercedes Sprinters. Surely a move to Ford is a step backwards for outright Power and reliability
Thanks for your comment! Some great ideas for conversion specialists to take a look at!
If it comes in under 3.5t it will be popular not requiring a C1. Soon as I see brackets on back doors though for carry/Stryker chairs you have designed an Achilles heal as those hinges won’t take the weight overtime!
It must be a constant battle for designers to keep vehicles on target
Very nice layout. I'm in Australia where we typically use Mercedes Sprinter vans with the V6 motor. When we introduced them a vehicle design committee had a great deal of input into the design. Yours ticks all the boxes in what I'd like in an ambulance, albeit the 4-cylinder Transit (only because they have a poor reputation in Australia for power and reliability). Just curious as to the service life and secondary market for these? We'll typically keep our units for about 350,000 km or 7 years. After that they can be stripped in about 12 hours. They're very popular as a cheap government disposal van and easily recognised by the polycarbonate bullbar and rooftop air conditioner pod. British ambulances have a similar layout to Australian ones with a forward-facing patient care seat next to the stretcher, and what we call an airway seat at the head of the stretcher. Much better than the US layouts. Many thanks for showing us your product. You're on a very "paramedic friendly" layout there.
Nice to see it's similar in Australia to how it is in Ireland, we use the Mercedes Sprinter chasis on a box slightly bigger than the one in the video and follow similar principals, a limit of 200,000km or 6 years in service and a good number of them get handed down to charity ambulance services. Back in 2020 we abandoned lightbars for a similar beacon light setup as the one in the video has, very handy for maintenance. The company that builds ambulances here in Ireland copy and pastes nearly the same entire setup on our National Ambulance Service and Fire Service ambulances onto some ambulances they make for British agencies so I'd imagine the principals may be very similar there.
these ford's have a 2 litre wet belt engine so not very reliable the belts snap and needs a new or rebuilt engine.
ford are well aware of the issues.
thanks for spending time to watch and comment, really appreciate the community here in the comments, hope to see you next time. I think the life of a UK NHS ambulance is about 4-5 years and 150,000 to 200,000 miles ? anyone else got an idea?
Should have asked to borrow our 1995 Ford Ambulance and compare the two 😊
@@klassicgarage great idea for a collaboration!
Well I am pleased I dont have to drive that.
When I worked for a different British ambulance service we had the lovely Bedfords. When I left the Mercedes had just arrived.
in the north west they seem to prefer fiat vans, i havent seen a chonky cube backed ambulance in a while
I wonder if they will make a return
meanwhile the US has had power loads for years now
This is not the first year EEAST have used power loads but this is the Stryker Power Pro 2, which is new, thanks for watching.
where do crew put their kit? any option for a storage area, for bags etc?
or students
this will have to be managed operationally and I can only suggest options however crews will have to seek official guidance from their employer.
Where are the crew supposed to store their personal kit bags ?
and wheres the crew fridge ?
From my understanding there is no fridge and crews will be asked to reduce their 'kit' to helmet and high-vis, please seek official guidance from EEAST if you are under their operational care. Thanks!
Why is getting a C1 license such an issue? You need extensive additional training to drive an emergency vehicle anyway. Just get the licence and get an ambulance that's big enough to do everything you might need to do with it.
Hows the ride quality, the old mercs had air suspension didn't they? Not sure if these do
I was unable to get a test drive in so will have to hear feedback from crews, it's unlikely I will get to see these in action myself.
The box van ambulance has alway been MB never seen the Ford on the box van alway seen Ford on the normal van one but looks good
? They’ve had fiat ducato box ambulances for years cause the old Mercedes ones are too heavy to drive on regular licence
thanks for watching I think we will see many variants on the road over the next few years
Now just the three hour waiting time
Sometimes more, sometimes less, everyone is doing their best
@@RescueFit your a poet you don't know it, but the facts are true that if you can't get there fast they're gonna die in you ,,
Walk then
@@harry6488 it will come to that arseholes
@@RescueFit we've never been waiting for that long; Things really have to change there ...
When we talk about a long wait at the ER, we're talking about 10 to 20 minutes. But that's extremly long then
Not a fan of newer ambulances as when I have been in one recently my wife has to follow in our vehicle to bring my wheelchair as there was no ramp or way of securing my wheelchair. This would be a problem if my wife was not available. As a disabled patient with complex health and a frequent user of healthcare services It would be nice if an ambulance was accessible.
Quite an understandable request for the ability to transport patient belongings and wheel chair aids but in the emergency setting they must just do the essential for transport to the ED. PTS (patient transport service - non emergency trips) vehicles have more space and ways to transport extra items.
I foresee fleet managers being busy with unnecessary/ precautionary maintenance with engine wet belt issues
Is there an alternative?
@@RescueFit yes: don't buy Transits
Which vehicle and from what service could we go and see next?
Is it diseal or electric
This is diesel Ford EcoBlue 2L EURO 6
Do you not work for us now Brad 😂
Let’s call it dual employment
Just curious if they will discontinue the Mercedes? I think a nice feature would be a sliding door to access the front of the ambulance from the back as I can see it being useful
Hi thanks for question, it’s unlikely we will see this doorway back on a modern vehicle due to the cost implications and loss of space where this hatch was located. Just my personal opinion as usual on that but the chassis and cab is a solid unit, the box effectively being bolted on top. I wonder if the box could ever be re-used and swapped out onto another chassis if ever required.
@@RescueFit I know on the German ones they can be swapped
The National Ambulance Service in Ireland used to remount boxes for a while. It was cheaper than buying a new ambulance. But the boxes would only last about 12-15 years.
@@Therealprinceofcobh interesting concept, I will ask someone from a trust perspective if I get the chance.
@@RescueFit they remounted the boxes off the 06 07 08 &. 09 WAS bodies onto Wilker chassis beginning in 2013 up to 2018.
There is no storage room at all. Only 2 chairs so not room if you need to transport HEMS, 3rd manner and a relative. Where are our kit bags supposed to live?
Definitely missing extra space for this however I guess crews will have to reduce their kit to just a helmet and high vis, spare uniform to be left on base? If HEMS need a lift they can sit in the back on their own as they have earned their adult badges many years ago.
This is actually atrocious. First of all, looks. Looks like an inbred van had sex with a box body. Second of all, as many paramedics have pointed out in the comment section, there is zero space for crew's personal kit or additional staff. Also pointed out by others is it's useless for prison runs. Zero room for ambulance crew and prison staff. Just truly horrendous, and don't even get me started on those shipping container looking back doors.
Although negative, I appreciate the time you have taken to voice your concerns. Thanks for your comment.
@@RescueFit No problem. By the way, I do apologise if it seemed rude towards you, it was more directed at the designers.
Did you design that shirt yourself?
yes, available to be purchased on our website. what do you think of them?
What are the flashing white lights for on the front grill? I noticed they sometimes aren't switched on.
They're usually used instead of flashing headlights to avoid burning the bulbs out. If they're not on it's probably because the headlights are on.
I think the aim is to get attention from those in front as the rear view mirror of drivers should be aimed at their face, the white lights are usually only active during the day time when 'dipped beam' is not active.
Wet belt engine wont last the hammering, no space for ppe, no way of getting a chair case into the saloon, rear light controls in the wrong place, will be cheaper no doubt😅
There are some disadvantages to a small vehicle overall, I hope they work well for the crews they are designed to help.
no LED headlights?
Hmm not that I recall, just normal bulbs and no DRLs
The aspect Paramedics loved about the Fiats over the Mercedes was the fact the bed was in the middle. Shame to see it reverted but I can understand why due to space. Have these Fords been rolled out in London? These are impressive
This unit was commissioned by EEAST so the LAS vehicles may be different, would love to head down to have a look at theirs too. Any requests for a follow up video?
I hate fiat ambulances if I needed an ambulance I'm not gonna get in a fiat ambulance I will request a Mercedes one which are more reliable and not on the news like the fiats
They aren’t impressive at all
@@RescueFit Would love you to review the feel of the drive and hear the sirens
@@CameronI0603 thanks it’s much appreciated. I would call this video a ‘tour’ rather than a review however as I would not be able to produce these with the consent of the services they belong to if I highlighted negative attributes within the content and therefore they are too bias to be called a review. Hope that makes sense. I will try to get sirens and a test drive in the next one.
What is it with Ford? Even the panel vans 10 years ago had doors that don't lock open. In a windy environment, they will slam shut and maybe hit someone.
The rear box unit is not Ford but I hope this doesnt happen
@@RescueFit Deffo will happen. Without a latch in a gust will snap it past the pressure of the clip.
Here in Essex we have the fiat dacto lite ambulance which are unreliable they keep breaking down thay we're on the news last year due to problems I hope to see them on the road in my area
all 999 vehicles do a lot of mileage, nature of the service i guess
Do the embroidered seats come as standard or are they a costly optional (and unnecessary) extra?
I know what your thinking but I 'heard' (and would have to get clarification) that the covers are required for IPC reasons and the embroidery was a no-cost add on.
Theres the 'penny pinching pound spending' attitute that has made the modern uk ambulance service what it is today. Never change!
How much really do you think those seatcovers cost?
Like the "we spent our entire budget in just 4 months from the financial year, now theres no money so cancel overtime and crack down on incentives and any luxuries... and tea" - London Ambulance Service.
Next we should just buy brand new grey blobs for £200,000 each, nothing wrong with the existing blobs but they're not 'universal' enough, worse in every way, their 'innovations' completely useless in certain parts of the uk... but also we should have every piece of intrest, uniqueness, and individuality sandblasted off.... and now its electric... but we cant afford the electricity.... so our uniform is going to be made worse quality and more uncomfortable... and generic.
You wont know which Trust is arriving.
"Hello, NHS ambulance service!"
@@ItsJustPhillip covers over the top of normal seats, dpne for IPC, and they are already £300 a set, so £10 for embroidery is not a lot
A 2.0 in an ambulance? I guess when I need one I’ll just drive to the hospital myself mid heart attack, likely more chance of making it that way.
50p says all new UK ambulance engines will be 2.0 in 2025. And then hybrids. And then electric post 2030(ish)
Sidenote: Anyone with a heart attack needs a smooth and safe journey to hospital making progression when possible but avoiding risks. So 2.0 should handle that, I think.
What siren model is being used on them?
unsure, will try and find out
@@RescueFit On the one Ive just see at ESS, its a whelen euro 1
If you weren't religious before you'd certainly start praying if this turned up. With that awful 2.0 ecoblue engine you can't guarantee you'd make it to the hospital
@@moltenriches smaller engines are the norm now on all units. how long do you think until we see more full electric emergency vehicles?
@@RescueFit got nothing to do with the size of it, those ecoblues are horrendously unreliable. Avoid like the plague
How can you guarantee any vehicle will make it to any destination? Issues can happen to anything at any point.
@@BenofUA-cam you could start by getting in one that doesn't have an engine with a poor reliability rating
That is assuming that the sods turned up in the first place.
Do these vehicles still require a C1 to drive plus it’s strange that they have reverted to the stretcher on the side vs in the middle or is it that the stretcher is on the side because they are smaller than the fiat because it certainly looks smaller which is why I’m wondering if it still requires a C1
this a cat b vehicle so car license.
and ambulances have the stretcher at the side.
yes they do require C1, due to the added weight off all the equipment stocked into the vehicle bringing it over the B category limits
@zcharged8294 wrong type the reg in dvla EA24 JCU
revenue weight ie fully kitted is 3500kg.
so that's kitted why it has only one passenger seat in the rear.
@@jamesgriffiths3057 I presume that vehicle is being used for demonstration purposes only and therefore remains unkitted and has been issued that weight by the DVLA for that reason. for vehicles that are actually being used on the road to attend to incidents, my understanding is that they require C1 once fully stocked. unless there is somewhere where East of England have specified otherwise and have made themselves the exception to this out of all English ambulance services, I understand this applies to all services presently
if any service has managed to get around that problem I would be very interested to hear about how they have managed to do that so it can be shared across all services
@zcharged8294 this vehicle has been built to be a b license fully kitted this is not a demo vehicle look it up online they have made to meet car license rules, has no one gets c1 on their license anymore so have to pay to get it 800 upwards so lots of people can't drive c1.
they have been at this year's.
was and other manufacturers have been trying to get vehicles down to 3500kg for this reason.
the fiat's are all 4250 revenue weight fully kitted and with upto 3 passengers and crew.
this vehicle only had 1 rear seat.
fiat's have 3 rear seats.
the thing that i don't agre is that it's tiny compared to mercedes and the interior is very empty
This unit has had many reductions to save weight however it will be part of a multi variant fleet.
Let’s hope they replace the fiats
Here in Essex we have the fiat light ambulance which are always breaking down and ending up on the back of a tow truck I see them all the time breaking down an Ending up at the depot
American, German or Italian?
@@RescueFit the ambulance or us
@@DangerGrouse the ambulance!
American = Ford
German = Mercedes, VW, MAN
Italian =‘Fiat
22 years LAS, bring back the LDV V8's 😂
Most people in the service wouldn't know what an LDV is! Im pushing 38 soon but I actually owned an LDV minibus for a while!
Like the Ambulance, Although not having the ramp makes it harder for older members of the public/Disabled members of the public that aren't on the Stretcher to get into the Ambulance. I don't know if there is other ways for them to get on, But would be good for them to.
We have always struggled to help people 'up the step'. Tail lifts were handy to avoid this but they add weight to the vehicle and require servicing and risk of breaking. Maybe a mini step lift or smaller steps could help.
Is it ready insulated ready for converting into a campervan in later life?😂
As long as it got cleaned a million times beforehand!
The way this has been kitted out is fantastic the build quality looks perfect but as my own company has found out (fleet repair company) the transit 2.0 is the most unreliable worst engine Ford has ever built I’ve lost count of how many of these transits we have had in needing engines combined with the front wheel drive set up constantly blowing gearbox’s and drive shafts I think they’ll be lucky to see 100,000 mile out of these without any major mechanical work, no issues with the kit out just the base van it’s built on will never compare with the sprinters we have seen come through the workshop with 400,000+ on the clock and still going.
thanks for watching, I guess time will tell with these engines, would a MAN or Merc 2.0 have any better life?
stop calling them strobes. They arent.
@@emsservices6090 I 100% need education on what to call the different types of blue lights. Looking for an organisation to help me with this 👌🏻
Light Heads?
Mshalla 😮😮
thanks?
8:45 The emissions don't actually matter. Vehicle manufacturers shouldn't have to comply with these stupid regulations. This is still a really cool vehicle.
Unfortunately ambulances are having to be designed with these regs or guidelines in mind. thanks for watching, hopefully see you on the next one!
Well more people won't get a ambulance when needed or won't make it to hospital as the new ford are really unreliable and the wet timing belt will snap so regular that they will need new engine every year or off the road with adblue faults
is that the same with FIAT, or with MAN or VW ?
FORD now state Timing belt will need to be changed every 6yrs or 100,000 miles. I would imagine NHS wouldn't have taken a contract without reassurance from ford.
@RescueFit no the older fiat's with the 3.0 engine are bullet proof.
the new 2.2 or 2.0 litre run lock dilutes the thin engine oil and then need a new engine the brand new ones ha e runlock disabled so this doesn't happen.
Actually the fiat burn patient's legs and also paramedics can't drive them thay whre on the news a couple of years ago and now then I got Renault ambulances in my area the fords also have a wet belt issue would like to go for VW ambulance if I ever need an ambulance and if the fit turns up I'm not going it I will tell the staff I would like a Mercedes ambulance or Renault
Hope I never see the inside of one for myself
Fingers crossed !
Old are more better
old are also less economical, which is important for the NHS' goal of zero emissions.
Any space for crew kit bag?
@@mattyfirth98 I’ve not been given access to a ‘load list’ to advise on where these will go. Will try and find out and bring you an update.
I hope to god they don't have the wet belt engines from the normal Transit vans, Ford are a terrible choice should have stuck with the Mercedes Sprinter platform.
Im only learning about this 'wet belt' from the comments, will ask this on the next video, thanks for watching
@@RescueFit I knew about it in the petrol engines but I only learned about the diesel transit engines recently I never assumed the stupidity would stretch so far they'd dare put a wet belt in a diesel engine particularly one for commercial use.
FORD A BAD CAB UNIT BAD ENGINE GARUANTEED IT WILL BREAK WHEN YOU WILL NEED IT MOST
THANKS FOR WATCHING
it's a dca, double crewed ambulance.
not a double staffed ambulance !🤦♂️
@@jamesgriffiths3057 we call them DSA over here in the East of England
@RescueFit rest of the country it's dca.
even says it in the nhs spec document lol.
OK just need to say in the video dca.
in the parts of the uk.
@@jamesgriffiths3057 👍🏻
@@jamesgriffiths3057as per the vid in EEAST (I work for EEAST) they are DSAs.
WHY USE THE WORST CAB UNIT A FORD ENGINE IN A SITUATION WHERE LIFE OR DEATH DEPENDS ON RELIABILITY?
YOU HAVE CAPS LOCK ON
A Transit? Can barely get any worse chassis for an ambulance ... extremly poor driving performance
1:33 really nice driving position? Are you serious? Transits have some of the worst driving positions out there. The old Transit Custo was even worse than the new Transit, but it's still far from good. I'm not a tall man, but after a long busy shift with lots of driving my legs hurt when getting off the Transit
There's a reason why the Transits aren't bought for ALS Emergency Ambulances here, only as BLS Transport Ambulances which primarily run non emergency scheduled runs
2:48 no stretcher platform? The stretcher right at the ground? Really?
overall it looks like rather little compartment space on that ambulance ...
1:33 yes in my opinion, compare to the FIAT cab, its a nice driving position. Yes I am serious. Nice being about 7/10 on the my knees are safe scale.
2.48 This is pretty normal here I think, the lower the patient cot to the ground the lower the centre of gravity and less body roll. Designers and trusts are hoping to reduce crew movement in the rear to enable them to keep their seatbelts on.
You are correct, this is a little compartment, to save weight, thats the whole ideal or the unit.
Thanks for watching, you have a great channel
im not sure all the technical equipment in the front of the ambulance is meant to be shown to the public online... the workings of communication systems, call signs etc are protected and not to be given out from government vehicles due to ongoing national terror threat as far as im aware. that is why freedom of information requests have been refused for internal communications by ambulance service (and probably police etc too)
Hi thanks for your concern, I wouldn't want any sensitive information being poorly managed either. The trust has given me access to this vehicle and had been sent the video to be proof viewed. Call signs of the vehicle are on the outside on the truck and so are in full view of the public. These vehicles are in public spaces constantly and so can be viewed at any time such as open days etc, so the inner workings are available to be found anyway. I don't believe I have included any sensitive information but happy to be asked about it. thanks.
The call sign is literally written on each side so anyone can see it!!! The radio was off and no mdt fitted so no information was visible during this video
@@RescueFit ok cool thanks
you cant get onto the airwave network, so theres no risk. Unlike police, we are dispatched by mdt
Under powered
Small interior
Terrible driving position
Bulk head seems to close to steering wheel ( even with adjustment)
No thru hatch - Comms tricky
Narrower than Mercs
Huge gaps / trapping risk when doors open.
Hard to internally transfer patient from the chair to the bed
Airway chair offset from the bed
Inferior to the mercs.
Terribly unconnected rear seats
Storage bad.
Single axel
Terrible ride
Awful not retractable steps with a cheese grater surface
You’ve clearly never worked on one !
It’s awful
“It goes into park when you are finished”
Wow - terrific review !
Thanks for your valued feedback
@@RescueFityou can’t be happy with that review though ? Seriously ?
@@Ben-oy1td Hi Ben, thanks for visiting the video again. What are you asking if I am happy about please?
- your review of the vehicle
- your review of my video
- my review of the vehicle
- the vehicle itself
thanks, Brad
@@RescueFityou haven’t really “reviewed” it other than being descriptive about what it looks like. That’s not a review. That’s an observational video. A review is / can be critical. Telling us there are “lots of buttons in the middle” and telling us an auto box has “ park, reverse and drive” is quite the review !
@@Ben-oy1td I agree and that’s why I never referred to it as a review other than it that comment reply. It’s a light hearted tour of a vehicle I was invited to go and see.
You would think that the NHS would have gone fully electric if we are not going diesel and petrol after 2025. Ime ashamed to see them go this way. Shame on you guys.
@@foxylady1048 just to understand your position correctly, are you saying the NHS should go fully electric? And what are you ashamed of, please confirm. Thanks
🥱”sorry mate i know you’re bleeding out but we just need to charge up in this services quickly!”
Won't last they're cheap nasty fords.
whats better?