A quick overview of ambulances in Ireland

As you know at Cartell.ie we like to discuss aspects of different vehicle types because we know a growing number of our regular readers are interested in off-centre material. For that reason we did a post on police cars for instance, and various features on future concept vehicles. This time round we wanted to have a quick look at a vehicle all of us have seen or heard on our roads from time to time – the Irish Ambulance.

In Ireland, in common with other EU countries, there are a variety of different companies that sell ambulances: Ford, Mercedes, Renault, VW, Fiat are the most common ones. In fact, companies don’t make ambulances per se, they are actually converted vans.

Certain companies are specialists in the conversion process including Primo Specialist Vehicle Converters. Based in Ferbane in Co Offaly Primo carry out contract conversion work for all the main emergency response groups in Ireland: the HSE, the Defence Forces, Dublin Fire Brigade, the Coast Guards, the Gardai and the Order of Malta included.

Cartell.ie had a chat with a Primo representative about ambulances and how they are spec’ed in Ireland.  We were told:

The ambulances are actually converted vans which have been designed to the requirements of the customer. Generally speaking the HSE and the Fire Brigade will opt for Mercedes and Ford vehicles while the likes of voluntary organisations might opt more commonly for the Renault.

Top Speed

We asked about the Top Speed of the vehicles:

In terms of Top Speed you are probably looking at 75 mph maximum – depending on the vehicle. The difference with ambulances is that there is no speed limiter on an ambulance so it will achieve whatever the vehicle is actually capable of. You should think of it in terms of what a van will achieve and then allow for the fact that we’ve built an ambulance on the back of it – so top speeds are going to be affected by the extra weight.

The process to convert a van into an ambulance is a significant one which can take up to 2 months to complete. In terms of specifications the requirements may vary markedly across the board depending on clients wishes.

Controversy

There has been some controversy regarding the Mercedes Ambulance Fleet, when in 2009 three different HSE Mercedes Ambulances caught fire over a 12-month period.  It was later reported that the HSE had spent EUR 22 million on fire-prone ambulances.