This from Drew Gresik:
Just thought I’d pass it along, here’s the first of the new batch of Chicago Fire Dept. ambulances. This one is shop #C154 and I believe is a 2013-14 Ford E-450/Wheeled Coach Ambulance assigned to Ambulance 13. These photos are from Fire Service Inc’s Facebook page.
Driver’s side of a new Type III ambulance for CFD Ambulance 13. Fire Service, Inc. photo
Rear view. Fire Service, Inc. photo
First new Type III ambulance for the Chicago FD. Fire Service, Inc. photo
thanks also to Dennis
#1 by JB on March 24, 2014 - 5:06 PM
Saw this this afternoon sitting at the shops. It is very small and very weird looking. Also today at the shops, there is another re-mount that is awaiting to be placed into service and that one is marked for BLS Ambo 89.
#2 by Crabby Milton on March 14, 2014 - 5:52 AM
Oh well. I’m sure it crossed their mind until they took out the tape measures.
#3 by NJ on March 13, 2014 - 7:16 PM
@Crabby
The Spartan chassis would never work. The current rigs barely fit in some of the houses. The Spartan would not fit in far too many to be a viable option.
#4 by Kevin Griffin on March 13, 2014 - 6:32 PM
maybe Cfd changed logo’s so that Stone Park’s newer ambulance doesn’t look the same. that’s only my opinion though.
#5 by Crabby Milton on March 13, 2014 - 5:42 PM
But that’s my point. So the ambulance may be 15 years old if they change the rule if applicable. True if they are going to dispose of the things in about 5 years then get a low cost model. But if they get one on a purpose built chassis, the costs over time should be lower provided it’s maintained properly. If I should ever become sick or injured and need an ambulance, fire truck nut or not, I want the thing to get me to the hospital and I won’t care if it’s brand new or 15 years old but it better be up to the task and a purpose built type has a better chance of being in good shape.
#6 by 0.02 on March 13, 2014 - 3:38 PM
A lot has to do with how the apparatus is spec’d out. An example is the air suspension. The original rear suspension is removed and some after market air suspension is hacked in by te builder. Usually after about a year, if that, they start to fail. I have heard of these rusting out after a year, several departments reporting broken brake lines due to run through from the air suspension, and other problems along with a bad ride. Yes a high end builder supposedly has a better fit and finish, but f you only keep the rig for 5-7 years no one really cares about for and finish. Many big departments are runnin WC. I think Dallas, DC, Philly, LA.. Run them for 5 years and then send them off to the scrap yard.
#7 by Robert on March 13, 2014 - 1:09 PM
KL FDNY has Fords on the way. Wheeled coaches too I believe
#8 by NJ on March 13, 2014 - 9:47 AM
If they won’t spring for an F series, they aren’t going for a Spartan ERV.
#9 by Crabby Milton on March 13, 2014 - 9:19 AM
KL, organizations public and private generally go by past experience and low bid. As a 29 year delivery driver, I have found FORD vans to be the best and CHRYSLER product van to be fair to lousy. Perhaps the newer RAM trucks are better but get burned once and the bad taste takes a long time to subside. FORD also has a strong presence in Chicago so that could explain things. I wonder what the new heavy TRANSIT cutaway chassis will work out when the E SERIES does eventually go away for good. Again why not go with the SPARTAN METRO STAR RT and you can’t get any closer to purpose built. Yes I said low bid but a purpose built chassis is always better and would save the cost of a new rig so often.
#10 by NJ on March 13, 2014 - 8:01 AM
They’re fine for small depts and privates that are running a few hundred calls a year. Not suitable for big city depts that run tens of thousands of calls per year.
#11 by KL on March 13, 2014 - 7:16 AM
Why do we have to look at Ford all the time. I see that FDNY and LA are running the Dodge Ram. From what I have seen is that they like them and are holding up well.
#12 by Fartin' Fred on March 13, 2014 - 12:46 AM
The general consensus seems to be that these things are HUNKS of JUNK
#13 by NJ on March 12, 2014 - 10:14 PM
CFD did that for anbo’s 10, 30 and 82. They rechassied boxes from wrecked ambos onto 2013 F-350’s.
I too think refurbishing and remounting the Braun boxes would have resulted in much better ambos for less.
#14 by T on March 12, 2014 - 9:01 PM
Why not re chassis all the old boxes on new f450’s. Seems the city would save more money than wasting it on these.
#15 by RJ on March 12, 2014 - 8:31 PM
Looks cheap…both in build quality and graphics. But with the city’s financial problems and average ambo age around 7-8 years, I guess they have to cut corners where they can.
#16 by Mike on March 12, 2014 - 7:37 PM
LOW BID !!
#17 by Chris S on March 12, 2014 - 7:13 PM
These clear lens lights are garbage, they are almost invisible during daylight hours, the graphics are a little cheesie but better then the gigantic lettering currently, I miss the classic “heartbeat” graphic, can we bring that back please.
#18 by Crabby Milton on March 12, 2014 - 5:56 PM
FORD is not going to discontinue the heavy version of the E SERIES for a few more years. As someone stated, the tough old V10 is the sole engine on those. I’m wondering why more departments aren’t ordering ambulances on that SPARTAN METRO STAR RT since it was designed for ambulances and not a delivery van. Sure it would cost more but would last a lot longer. Thoughts?
#19 by FFEMT on March 12, 2014 - 5:24 PM
Hey guys! Here’s an idea! Maybe, just maybe, we should wait and see how these units actually do out on the street…..before judging them by their graphic designs and lighting packages. And, GASP, maybe actually get some input from the people using them.
Just a thought.
#20 by 0.02 on March 12, 2014 - 5:14 PM
I would think that these rigs will last about 5 years. That is if they don’t get totaled before that. Maybe someone in fleet is actually thinking and realizing that these get run into the ground so build them for function not looks. Besides As long as I can remember The ambos were always just thrown together. With the price of ambulances if they saved 30-40 thousand per ambulance vs. Buying a different manufacturer that probably also played a big part in the purchase too.
#21 by Robert on March 12, 2014 - 4:40 PM
They won’t last too long on our streets lets hope they get something better
#22 by fmddc1 on March 12, 2014 - 4:30 PM
What the hell!!!!!!!!!! Did they get a special deal to buy up all the existing vans Ford is trying to get rid of cause they aren’t going to make them any more??!!! What a cheap looking piece of crap!!! What dollar store did they get the graphics from? Shame, shame! Glad I’m retired and don’t have to look at that POS or any other ones they buy in my old house. I can understand getting one to replace 86, but a whole fleet! Geeze boy’s……..enjoy!
#23 by NJ on March 12, 2014 - 4:05 PM
The current F series rigs (crappy as most of them are) are mostly 7 or more years old. Some have more than 200,000 miles on them. I would bet considerable amounts that these new rigs will be in the scrap heap long before 7 years or anything close to 200,000 miles.
#24 by Dennis on March 12, 2014 - 1:38 PM
Chris, all the ambulances now are dual rear wheels. Also the F series have not held up as good as everyone thinks. Trust me on this. It all depends on how much each ambulance runs and how the guys take care of them to define how good the unit holds up.
#25 by JS on March 12, 2014 - 1:37 PM
These might prove to be OK, but I have my doubts. In my experiences, Wheeled Coach doesn’t hold up as well as other manufacturers. Maybe they’ve gotten better over the last few years, maybe their custom built rigs are better than the mass produced ones. But I think between the conversion and the decision to go with a van chassis (which a gas motor is the only available option) – they’ll regret it. Only time will tell.
#26 by David on March 12, 2014 - 12:39 PM
Have to say that I thought for a while that it’s the 1st of April already.
#27 by Evan Davis on March 12, 2014 - 12:26 PM
I agree with NJ. Where I run in Virginia, we cover an area about the size of DuPage County and get around 3000 ems calls a year. All our medic units are on either Ford F-350 or F-450 chassis. Our oldest unit is a 1999 Ford F-350 and I can pretty much guarantee that it would have been put out of service 6 or 7 years ago if it was a gas engine. I guess we’ll see how these new units for Chicago turn out!
#28 by NJ on March 12, 2014 - 11:06 AM
When one looks at how the Type I heavy duty truck chassis has held up (or not) to Chicago streets and runs, it’s virtually impossible to think the city is going to get near that on a much life out if a lighter duty van chassis. Also, gas motors have a far shorter lifespan than diesels. We had diesels, now we have gas. No matter how good or bad the build, you can’t around these two things.
#29 by chris r on March 12, 2014 - 10:35 AM
Why don’t people give the new units a chance to prove themselves before you start trashing them , maybe they might be better than you guys are saying . They only have the first one in service .
#30 by NJ on March 12, 2014 - 10:33 AM
If they went with the standard WC light setup, the scene lights are ultra bright LED’s, bright enough to wake the dead.
Dunno what colors they used on the front lights, but I presume the rear are standard red and amber.
#31 by Turk_WLF on March 12, 2014 - 10:22 AM
I would like to see what the warning lights look like lit up.
#32 by chris on March 12, 2014 - 10:07 AM
So much for lightbars and the boxes look bigger than past types and might be better with the dual rear tires we have to wait till they go in service to see
#33 by Chuck on March 12, 2014 - 9:59 AM
That has GOT to be the UGLIEST, CHEAPEST, most generic throwaway looking p.o.s. I think I have EVER seen for an ambulance. What moron designed the graphics, some 5 year old? These make the Ford vans of the late 1980’s look like classic apparatus. These things have colossal failure written all over them.
#34 by NJ on March 12, 2014 - 9:58 AM
25 in initial order. Total order for 70 of these Type III and 30 Type I
IMO, a big downgrade. In a city like Chicago, these will not last long. Gas powered and a van chassis. They don’t even have heated mirrors. These will be penny wise fortune foolish. They will last nowhere near as long as the current Ford Brauns did. They should at least have gone all Type I with F-450 chassis even if they downgraded from Braun to Wheeled Coach.
#35 by Fartin' Fred on March 12, 2014 - 9:24 AM
Wow, new paint design, & more lighting as well–very good.
Anybody know how many of these new ones are on the way?