This from Josh Boyajian:
Brand New 2013 Ford F-350 Powerstroke Braun ambulance awaiting to be placed into service. Caught it sitting at the shops this afternoon.
New unit for Chicago Ambulance 10. Josh Boyajian photo
and from Scott Pilafas
It’s about time
Scott Pilafas photo
#1 by Bill Post on June 21, 2013 - 2:00 AM
Mike while this answer doesn’t have all of Chicago’s EMS response details it does have some of the basic rules that Chicago follows. If there is anyone who can add to this feel free.
The Chicago FD runs with 60 ALS ambulances (including three that are stationed at O’Hare airport). Chicago also runs with 15 BLS ambulances. The BLS ambulances first went in service during June of 2000 and it was meant to help cut down on the BLS runs and transports that Chicago’s previously all ALS fleet was responding to.
Depending on the answers to questions on the nature of the injury the 911 center will either classify the run as ALS or BLS. I don’t know if this is still true but as of a few years ago I had heard that if the patient was over 50 or under 5 an ALS ambulance would be sent. Keep in mind this might not be exact.
On some cardiac runs and possibly some trauma runs you will get a fire company (engine or truck) dispatched with the ambulance. As a rule a regular ALS run will get an ALS ambulance and if the nearest ALS ambulance is more then 18 blocks away then a fire company will be dispatched. The nearest e,kngine or truck will be dispatched and if the nearest fire company isn’t an ALS company then an ALS company will also be sent if it is closer then the next available ALS ambulance.
Currently Chicago has 59 out of 95 engines that are ALS and we also have 12 trucks out of a total of 61 that are ALS.
If the run is a BLS run then the nearest BLS ambulance will be dispatched and if it is further then four miles away the nearest engine or truck will also be dispatched. If the nearest available BLS ambulance is beyond 8 miles away then an ALS ambulance will be dispatched if there is one that is closer.
If there aren’t any ALS ambulances available, an ALS fire company will respond and a BLS ambulance will also be dispatched. The paramedic from the ALS company will ride in the ambulance and in effect upggrade the ambulance to ALS for that run.
There are eight EMS field supervisors that are located around the city and ride in SUVs. They are further divided into EMS north and EMS south divisions, each under and Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedic. Four field chiefs are assigned to EMS north and four are assigned to EMS south.
If more than two ambulances are dispatched to an assignment or if there is a bus or other major accident, a field chief will also be dispatched.
We also have EMS plans which are classified as a Plan 1 through 3.
On a Plan 1 you will get five ALS and one BLS ambulance and on a Plan 2 and 3 you get five additional ALS ambulances and two additional BLS ambulances.
Some of this information is a few years old so there could have been some changes.
#2 by NJ on June 19, 2013 - 8:34 AM
Amb 30 was a remount of 89’s box. Dunno about this one.
#3 by Bill C. on June 19, 2013 - 1:07 AM
@Ryan — NO THIS IS NOT the 1st time for a green light on the ambulances !! Back in the 80’s , Before the city went to straight van Type-2 ambulances the BOX Rigs (sitting on Chevy chassis) HAD Full Federal Signal AeroDynic lightbars that HAD a GREEN End lamp over the Passenger Side of the Cab. This Should be able to be verified rather easily via pictures, I just dont have one handy at the moment .
#4 by Bob on June 19, 2013 - 12:02 AM
Thanks Turk,
I had no idea LEDs had reflector or rotator-type features. Thanks for the info & the link..
#5 by Mike on June 18, 2013 - 10:15 PM
Does Chicago remount their medic units or are they completely new? Also, what does a standard response for an EMS run look like? For example, do they use some sort of classification system when taking dispatching a call? Such as a heart attack would get an ambulance and an engine for extra manpower, while a less serious call may only get an ambulance? Thanks in advance for any responses!
#6 by Ryan on June 18, 2013 - 9:04 PM
Bill,
Ambulance 10 is still the busiest ambulance in the city. Ambo 15 was second and 52 is third. The last time I was on 52 we ran 36 calls but that was really out of the ordinary… 10 and 44 were out of service at the shops that day. According to the 2012 stats I think ambulance 23 was the 4th.
#7 by Bill Post on June 18, 2013 - 6:30 PM
I am assuming that Ambulance 10 is still the busiest Ambulance in the city. I haven’t seen the latest statistics but they have been the number 1 Ambo in terms of runs for many years and Ambulances 15 and 52 usually come 2nd and 3rd or vice versa every year.
It would make sense to have another ALS ambulance go in service at Engine 38’s house however they would cut Ambulance 10’s runs to the south of it somewhat.
#8 by Ryan on June 18, 2013 - 5:35 PM
It’s about time 10 got a new ambo. I was on 10 a couple of times and after running 25 calls a day they deserve it. Notice that this will be the first time a green light will be on the ambos….besides 30’s new rig.
#9 by FFEMT on June 18, 2013 - 2:00 PM
Hinsdale’s new ambo is sitting in their bay….not in service yet. Didn’t get a good look at it (was just driving past), but it was red/black like the rest of their new fleet.
#10 by KB on June 18, 2013 - 1:53 PM
The city will never “do something like the suburbs do.” I’m pretty sure the city knows what they are doing
#11 by Josh Boyajian on June 18, 2013 - 1:34 PM
They are vision SLR’s, which are LED rotaters
#12 by Turk_WLF on June 18, 2013 - 1:33 PM
Bob,
They appear be to the New Vision SLR lightbars, which are LEDs with a rotating reflector.
Here is a link on the Lightbars….
http://www.fedsig.com/products/296/vision_slr_lightbar
#13 by Bob on June 18, 2013 - 1:02 PM
Is that light bar LED, or old-school spinners like in the trucks/engines?
#14 by chris r on June 18, 2013 - 9:56 AM
I would go with a row of lights on top of the box like the suburbs do and leave the cab roofs alone . Put a mars 888 on top of cab roof . But that’s just me .
#15 by chris r on June 18, 2013 - 9:45 AM
IM glad they are getting new ambulances , but those two short vectors light bars on cab roof likes bad, if they are going with those lightbar , get one contious lightbar that fits that space .
#16 by NJ on June 18, 2013 - 8:26 AM
Why are they going back to 350’s??