By Jamie Thompson
EMS1 Staff
Of any given department at a company, economic downturns often hit research and development projects the hardest.
But one ambulance manufacturer is aiming to buck the trend by pooling more resources into innovation.
Road Rescue introduced a complete redesign of its line of custom ambulances at last month’s FDIC 2009 in Indianapolis, the emergency-rescue industry’s largest trade show.
The company, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc., showcased more than 40 improvements at the event on its line of Ultramedic, Promedic and Duramedic vehicles.
“Everybody knows these are difficult economic times and it makes the competition between everyone a little bit tougher,” said Gary DeCosse, president of Road Rescue.
“What our parent company, Spartan, decided was the best way to compete in this kind of market is to give customers more value for their dollars.”
Five areas
DeCosse said they focused on five key design areas: module, doors, systems, appearance and hardware.
“We decided to go the whole way and take a look at the product from the wheels up,” he said.
Improvements to the vehicle systems include a refined central air system that realigns vent locations to improve airflow and efficiency, enhancements to the interior and exterior appearance, and hardware upgrades to enhance ease of cleaning, restocking and overall functionality.
Among the improvements to the module are a new crash-rail fender ring system and a redesigned roof-radius extrusion with triple-wall construction that exceeds the new KKK vehicle standards.
In addition, new exterior doors feature a double-box, pan-formed composite construction with a hidden hinge that the company said delivers a lighter, stronger and more durable door.
“The feedback we had at FDIC was overwhelmingly positive and people seem to see that we are really back as one of the industry’s top innovators,” said DeCosse.