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A LARGE-CAPACITY AMBULANCE.

17th March 1925, Page 9
17th March 1925
Page 9
Page 9, 17th March 1925 — A LARGE-CAPACITY AMBULANCE.
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Keywords : Beds, Stretcher, Ambulance

Details of a New Vehicle Just Delivered to the Police Authorities at Sunderland, a Feature of which is its Stretcher Accommodation.

THE type of ambulance designed to fulfil most of the exacting requirements of municipal authorities is, as a rule, equipped to carry two stretcher eases and several sitting patients, but in certain areas, particularly industrial' centres where large works abound, the vehicle which has a greater capacity, especially for stretcher cases, is found to be of considerable value: We may well cite the Case of Sunderland to support this contention, for this town, is a large shipbuilding centre and a hive of activity in connection with coal-mining operations.

The authorities in the town justly pride themselves on the up-to-date and efficient methods adopted for meeting immediate and emergency requirements in the •district, particularly in the matter of transport arrangements in connection with which the capabilities and fore ' sight of their Chief Constable, Mr. F. G. Crawley, the inventor of the police-box . system, have proved of value. The whole of the fire, ambulance and police work, including that performed by the river police, fall under the jurisdiction of Mr. Crawley, whose methods in these various channels of municipal activity are, we understand, being adopted in other parts of the country.

Mr. Crawley has appreciated the urgent need for the use of modern ambulance equipment in connection with the work of the county borough police. Accordingly, the authorities have recently taken delivery of a wellequipped vehicle of this type, which General Motors, Ltd., tell us will form the nucleus of a small fleet ef

machines of the same make to be put into operation at an early date. For this ambulance the Buick sixcylinder 27 h.p. long-wheelbase chassis is employed, and the' body with Which'it is equipped was designed and built by Messrs. W. N. Trewhitt, of Sanderland. Although this body, as will he seen from one of our illustrations showing a rear view of the vehicle, is much larger than the usual type of ambulance body, particularly in the matter of width, special attention has been paid to reducing the weight without impairing the rigidity of the superstructure. The exterior is panelled in mahogany, which is finished in the natural colour, whilst for the interior Sundeala panels are employed, the sections above the waist-rail being in white enamel and those in the lower half being finished in nut-brown enamel.

The arrangement of the stretchers is somewhat unusual. There are two— one on each side—which are carried on frames mounted at the level of the waisrrail. These carriers work on swing arms and, when not in use, can be folded back against the sides of the body.

Below the stretcher on the near side is a specially-constructed stretcher-car

riaee mounted on rubber tyres and suitably sprung. This particular stretcher

is included. as part of the equipment so that, when necessary, the patient can be wheeled to or from the ambulance when it is not possible for the vehicle to be driven close to the point at which the patient has to be loaded. More over, this stretcher is so built that by releasing a spring it can be detached from the undercarriage and thus used as an ordinary hand carrier.

The fourth stretcher is mounted on a seat which runs the full length of the body on the off side. Here, again, there is evidence of the considerable thought expended on the design and equipment of the interior. Realizing that in cer tain cases there would probably be occasion to carry sitting patients, it is arranged that this stretcher can be quickly removed and the seat made to give comfortable accommodation to cases of this description.

It will thus be seen that the vehMe can be used solely to carry stretcher eases or to transport two stretcher cases and a" number of sitting patients. The'

scat seat on the off side is made in two sections and, when used for carrying a stretcher, the hinged section is supported by carriers which are made to fold inwards so that the hinged portion can be dropped when sitting patients have to be carried.

Realizing that in certain circumstances it may be found necessary to accommodate further sitting patients beside the driver, the front of the vehicle has 'been designed with four regulated windows and a sectional windscreen, whilst the seats and back-rests have 6-in, spring cushions.

When stich a vehicle is being used in industrial districts, it is very essential that emergency equipment should he available and ready to hand, and a chest is' provided for carrying blankets, whilst rope ladders and other impedimenta are carried under the side seat, which ,luts sliding-panelled 'doors.

The problems of efficient ventilation and lighting have received proper atten tion. Side vents are incorporated which insure it good supply of air for the interior without setting up draughts whilst two roof lights are fitted.

Tags

Organisations: county borough police
People: F. G. Crawley
Locations: Sunderland

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