Equipped for the heaviest and most critical operations

To ensure the appropriate medical care and safe transportation of the increasing number of obese patients, as well as those in intensive care, the municipal fire brigade in Essen, Germany, has enlisted the support of two specially adapted ambulances. The Mercedes-Benz Vario 818D (177 PS) vehicles, equipped with Allison fully automatic transmissions, are 30 cm wider than regular ambulances and include features such as heavy duty stretchers capable of bearing up to 750 kg, electric hydraulic tail lifts, 230 volt generators and 2.3 kVA inverters.

The brigade’s standard fleet of ambulances are approved for a maximum weight of 170 kg, but with more and more patients weighing in excess of that – up to 250 kg is not out of the ordinary – the service looked to a new vehicle specification to literally lighten the load on its existing logistics operation, which performed almost 111,500 rescues in 2008. The adapted Varios are also required to transport intensive care patients between hospitals, routes for which they provide additional interior space for specialist equipment such as artificial respirators, syringe pumps and heart-lung-machines. The ambulances can switch between intensive care and obese patient mode in just 15 minutes, thanks to interchangeable loading equipment. This capability means the vehicles are used to a very high capacity and has eliminated the need to buy a further two vehicles.

“It is important to be able to respond to critical situations swiftly and safely, ensuring the most pleasant experience as possible for the patients, and the Allison transmission supports this aim in a number of ways,” explains Horst Rothfuss, head of automotive engineering of the Essen fire brigade. “The transmission’s electronic control module selects the right gear, just at the perfect moment. This provides smooth shifts and uninterrupted power so that the patient, carers, or medical equipment are not jolted. Allison’s torque converter and planetary gears provide unbeatable acceleration when we need it, and make the ambulances very easy to manoeuvre. The advanced helical gearing technology means driving noise is minimised, creating a calmer and quieter environment inside.”

Rothfuss also reports the Allison is a favourite choice of ambulance drivers: “The guys have both hands on the wheel and can concentrate totally on the road traffic because they are not shifting gears. So having vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions minimizes the risk of having a traffic accident. Also, driver mistakes in manual gear changes are eliminated with an automatic, and this has almost excluded driveline damage. We use Allison transmissions on our fire-fighting vehicles too and always choose them when we have the chance, for their reliability over the whole vehicle life is unrivalled.”