September 18, 2007 | Durango, CO - RMEV Delivers First Of Two 2007 Ford F-450 4x4 AEV Tramahawks 

Durango Fire And Rescue Authority took delivery of two new 2007 AEV Tramahawks on September 18, 2007.

Durango Fire and Rescue Authority will use the newly designed ambulance built by American Emergency Vehicles to better protect patients and emergency medical technicians by ensuring that everyone and everything is restrained when the ambulance is moving. 

National studies have identified the dangers facing emergency medical services professionals when they are responding to, or transporting patients from, emergency calls and using the lights and sirens. Unrestrained occupants are more than four times more likely to be injured or killed as a result of a collision than occupants who are restrained.

This year, Durango Fire and Rescue Authority have moved the safety concept into reality by incorporating many of the features of the concept ambulance into an operational ambulance that will begin answering calls in southwestern Colorado within the next month. The result is an ambulance with safer design features that not only better protect the patient, but also enhance the health care provider’s ability to provide care while being securely restrained during vehicle movement.

“It became clear that any major design changes to the patient compartment would be custom and experimental,” said Scott Sholes, emergency medical services chief of Durango Fire and Rescue Authority. “These major internal design changes included moving the squad bench to the transverse position across the bulkhead, having the crew seats equipped with six-point harness systems, and having four fully-restrained crew/passenger positions in the patient compartment.”

• The Durango ambulance features numerous innovations that protect emergency medical technicians, patients, other motorists and pedestrians from injury. Innovations in the safety ambulance include the following:

• 2007 Ford F-450 4x4 With Link Air ride

• Crew seats, equipment and supplies positioned for optimal patient care while using restraints

• Crew seats that have six-point harness systems

• Four fully-restrained crew/passenger positions in the patient compartment

• Squad bench moved to transverse position across the bulkhead

• Integrated child safety seat mounted to the bulkhead bench facing rearward

• Attendant seat that swivels to multiple locking positions for fully restrained access

• Built-in mechanisms for restraining all equipment

•  Switch panels, oxygen and suction accessible from all crew seats

• Safety restraint nets

• Highly reflective striping covering all compartment doors

• Internal and external flashing lights on all compartment doors

• Highly visible rear chevron pattern

• Hydraulic oxygen lift system

•  External cameras allowing the driver to see blind spots

©2007 Rocky Mountain Emergency Vehicles, Inc. All Rights Reserved.