Author Topic: SA SES Ford Transit  (Read 10163 times)

Offline Andrew K

  • Forum Senior Firefighter
  • ***
  • Posts: 70
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
SA SES Ford Transit
« on: January 26, 2010, 10:29:47 AM »
Had a chance to head over to metro south last night and have a look at this, and get some pics (although only with a mobile phone camera)

Having  now seen this up close, i'd say the concept is good, especially for road crash units. However this prototype seems to have been built around a standard kit for tasmania and alot of our gear either doesn't fit properly or has massive amounts of space left.

To start with the cab, no way is it a 7 seater, 5 maybe and the guy in the front centre is going to spend a lot of time kicking the comms gear. The driver is going to turn the siren on every time he goes into 3rd gear, and you just about need to lput your elbow out the window to drive. However there is more leg room than in the canters many units have and the seats are more comfortable.

the ladder mount ion the roof is really flimsy as is the locking handle, and god knows how a 3 stage is going to fit on that thing.

The well for the light mast is one great bucket that won't drain properly unless its half full and the mast itself isn't particulary stable and doesn't seem to hold air pressure that well. The lights themselves are only 500w i think and have exposed bubbles so good odds on popping a few of them.

The body itself is quite compartimitzed but nothing we had a metro south seemed to quite fit or we in strange places. For example the pole saw is internally stored and doesn't sit on the base of the compartment so it can roll around and if it leaks will leak all over the back locker, there is a tray front drivers site that is supposed to be for the genarator but it has this stupid latch at the back with a genarator on the tray you can barely reach and the genni and fuel are next to exposed wiring (see pic 005). The body really needs some shelving or a storage system for small hand and power tools so you don't have 5 cases rolling around in the compartments. There are also several compartments for things like the stokes litter, brooms etc that are about 6f off the ground.
the swaging on the wires for some of the doors in the bottom lockers is really poorly swaged especially the one that is supposed to be a step for the top ladder mount. Even simple things like cutting off zip ties on cable bunches hasn't been done. Hoever there are several roll out trays mounted which would be usefull if they are fitted in the right areas.

Also it isn't fitted with a towbar at the moment which means you can take a load of timber to a shoring job for example.

Overall i thought the concept of the unit was good but the implementation still needs alot of work before we getting them out on the job. hoever i don't see how it will ever replace the rescue trucks as you simply can't get enough stuff onto it without making it way overweight. As a replacement for the leased 4wd fleet it may be a good option

Offline bajdas

  • Forum Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,745
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2010, 11:27:04 AM »
I thought this was a replacement concept for the LIGHT rescue vehicle (dual cab utes) not the HEAVY rescue trucks.

So would it be better than the HiLux and Navara Utes that are currently operating ?
Andrew Macmichael
lives at Pt Noarlunga South.

My personal opinion only.

Offline Andrew K

  • Forum Senior Firefighter
  • ***
  • Posts: 70
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2010, 11:59:52 AM »
there was some talk of them replacing some rescue trcuks as well, however they just can't fit enough gear onboard

as for a 4wd replacement, if units are able to order the back customised to fit their gear and requirements and a few other issues are sorted then the would make a decent light response storm unit compared to a hilux and you wouldn't have to worry leased fleet costs, but in some cases you'd still prefer a hilux or nissan over onse of these since you can get a hilux or nissan into smaller spaces

Offline ftstn

  • Forum Recruit
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2010, 06:03:02 PM »
Hi Andrewk,
             I have seen 2 or i think 3 variants of these in Tassie, couple of units have had specific layout requests as i understand it and they have been accommodated, no pics unfortunately but have not heard any complaints from folks in the units down here that hove them

Maffu

Offline Andrew K

  • Forum Senior Firefighter
  • ***
  • Posts: 70
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2010, 07:45:20 PM »
hi ftstn do you have any idea of what the equipment list in them was?, i'd be very interested to see what tassie put in them.

the idea is good especially that you don't need a truck license to drive it adn you could run with a crew of 4 comfortably, i just don't think that this protype setup is suitable for many of the metro units without a fair bit of customization of the interior to fit our gear on board

the other thing i'd be interested to see is what its going to weigh full loaded and how the handling will change as when i saw it it was only about half full

Offline CFS_Firey

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,250
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2010, 10:37:36 AM »
Looks like a pretty good setup actually - I assume it'd be taking more stowage when it's on the beat?

Offline Andrew K

  • Forum Senior Firefighter
  • ***
  • Posts: 70
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: SA SES Ford Transit
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2010, 10:51:13 AM »
yeah it could but weights may become an issue, that was at metro south and that kits in on their 4.1 so they just transfered it over, but to access it once you start piling stuff in can get interesting.