New high-tech ambulances have a solar boost
Paramedics unveil ambulance with upgrades
Peterborough paramedics will be the first emergency responders in North America to use custom-designed, ecofriendly ambulances.
Peterborough County-City Paramedics recently purchased three New Era ambulances that were specifically created to meet their needs.
They’re meant to be more efficient, environmentally friendly and safer for the medic riding in the back.
New Eras have a built-in computer control centre, wall-mounted storage areas and a belted seat for the medic in the back that slides on a track so they can continue to work while seated.
They also have solar panels on the roof and a mechanism that puts the vehicle to sleep when its idling and monitors battery systems, reviving it up when needed.
Peterborough Paramedic officials unveiled one of the new ambulances Friday.
Chris Barry, deputy chief of operations, said the design mimics a model used in Europe.
Peterborough Paramedics Chief Randy Mellow, who is also the president of the Association of Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – a role he was acclaimed to Friday – travels the world for work and came across a similar ambulance in Ireland.
Mellow thought it would be a great fit for the paramedics in Peterborough, Barry said. (Mellow is currently in Edmonton showcasing one of the new ambulances at a conference).
The chief approached Crestline, which manufactures ambulances, and Acetech, a technology company, last year to get the ball rolling.
The built-in control centre not only operates the lights and initiates ecomode, but will also notify a medic if they’ve left something behind at a scene.
The ambulance equipment is tagged with a censor so if a piece is forgotten, the control centre will issue a notification and the vehicle won’t go into drive unless it’s retrieved. The wall-mounted storage areas keep items within reach, while tucking them out of the way to create a clean workspace.
The medic’s bench in the back of the ambulance was replaced with a chair that has a seat belt and glides from the front to the back of the vehicle to keep the paramedic safe while working.
That means if the ambulance is in a collision, the medic is much safer, Barry said. On average, Peterborough sees up to 20 collisions involving ambulances each year.
The medic’s monitor in the back is also at the end of the seat’s track, instead of in the front of the vehicle, so they’re able to update information as it happens.
The solar panels charge the ambulance’s lifesaving equipment, so the vehicles don’t need to be plugged it to recharge if they’ve been sitting awhile.
By not having to idle to keep equipment charged, maintain costs are decreased and less fuel is used.
While the ambulances may look similar to the untrained eye, the differences inside are paramount. “The difference now is everything is at (the paramedic’s) fingertips,” said Barry.
Each ambulance costs about $135,000 and will be on the road for about five years, racking up roughly 300,000 kilometres. The older ambulances will be auctioned off.
jessica.nyznik@peterboroughdaily.com