Any paramadics and firemen here?

I have a question for any paramedics or firemen here that live where the winters get cold. For the firemen, do you have a problem with your equipment freezing up (not THAT equipment). Like your pumps, pump controls, foam tanks, personal gear etc. For the Paramadics and EMT's, do you have to run the ambulances to keep the patient compartment and meds warm? I'm starting a business installing anti-idling devices (fuel fired heaters that will eliminate the need for idling) and am trying to develop markets that are un-tapped. Thanks.

in my limited time as a volunteer hose dragger come winter the tank piping gets drained. and i believe that with the rigs bein kept indoors the meds dont have a major issue with freezing. plus the fact that most are plugged in some ambulances may have a med warmer type thing inside.

I am no help whatsoever, but just wanted to offer some encouragement. Good questions.. Keep on trying. You're asking the right stuff.

Professional Firefighter from the North here.

In the Winter, when the truck is idling outdoors, the PTO driven pump is engaged and water is recirculated to prevent freezing. When on the road (pump cannot be engaged with the truck moving) we crack open the tank valves just enough to keep a little water moving past the gate.

We don't shut the trucks down on scene. Ever.

Ambulances and Rescue trucks are also left running, often with a high idle control activated to meet the electrical demands. Double locked drug boxes generally have their own heaters to prevent intravenous slushies.

I'm not sure that there would be a demand for a heater like the one that you're describing. When it's really cold, you don't want to shut a diesel down.

Here's an idea: See if you can come up with a way to keep hydrants from freezing.

Woody wrote: We don't shut the trucks down on scene. Ever. Ambulances and Rescue trucks generally left running, often with a high idle control activated to meet the electrical demands. Double locked drug boxes generally have their own heaters to prevent intravenous slushies.

We don't have heaters in our locked drug boxes, but the ambulances are always running, with the heaters usually blasting.

It gets cold here, The ambulances on duty are stored indoors. Or if waiting for a call outside, it is running (say crew is grabbing lunch)

Even the small volunteer departments in my area keep their equipment inside in heated garages/departments. Like woody said, they are never shut down on a call.

I think the big thing is no one is going to shut down a rig on a call or on call. They are left running summer or winter, weather is not the only reason to keep them idling.

Mmmmmm, firemen.

Lesley wrote: Mmmmmm, firemen.

Yes, we are irresistible.

My roommate is an EMT...during the winter when they are not running a code, they leave the Ambulance running in the parking lot, and come upstairs to play N64 (I know, old school, right?) Even during the summer though, the Ambulance is never turned off during a shift.

Woody wrote: ...intravenous slushies.

Now we're talking!

Thanks all! I talked to one department up here. They had 3 heaters installed in the back of 3 of his ambulances (by another company before I came into existance). He says they are the best thing since sliced bread. I think these were all type 3 units. His claim was that his he was replacing a water pump every 24 months or so! Now he shuts the truck down while waiting for a call. Is this not the norm? I wonder if I can make it the norm? Reducing that idle time cold save money and my heaters can keep his fuel and coolant at 170 degrees on very little fuel (about .03 gallons per hour).

In our area, ambulances are generally scattered about on standby, often to be found in the parking lot of a Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's. The morbidly obese EMT and Medic on board just sit there with the engine running, heater and radio on, waiting for the next call.

In cold weather, shutting down an emergency vehicle just invites troubling complications when you need to move in a hurry.

I used to be a volunteer paramedic in south/east Virginia. Like stated before, all our equipment lived inside with a shore tie plugged in but as soon as the tones went off the trucks were never shut down until back at the station.