WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

I hit a floodway that was about a metre deep in a 100 series at about 100kmph. I dont think the forester would have been as forgiving as the cruiser was. But a forester around town for me (especially when I have to take it to the servo).

donks wrote:not to mention the price difference between a 200 series land cruiser (Base price arounbd the $60k mark) and a Forrester ($30k mark?) unsure if SJA buy their vehicles out right or if they lease them?

WF, you are correct though.. Prados have been marketed as Land Cruisers how ever this stopped once the '120' series (model that rolled) was introduced. But the first generation '95' series was "Landcruiser Prado".

Have you got a copy of the ads? I would be interested in seeing them, I would have thought the 200 series was quite a bit more than $60k.

Foresters seem to be the thing these days. Especially now there is a diesel version though I don't think the one pictured is a diesel. NSW, WA and the NT are using them. AV are using Ford Territory. Haven't seen what the rest are doing.

Does anyone know if SJA needed to get approval to fit and use red/blue lights on these vehicles?

Even though 'ambulance' is written on the vehicle i dont think it would fit within the defnition of an ambulance... Correct me if im wrong but an ambulance is "a vehicle specially equipped for taking sick or injured people to and from the hospital". This vehicle doesnt look like its made to convey sick or injured people?

modernmind wrote:Does anyone know if SJA needed to get approval to fit and use red/blue lights on these vehicles?

I believe the simple answer would be yes. The fitting of red/blue/white lights and/or siren denotes an Emergency Vehicle, not neccesarily an ambulance. The definition of an emergency vehicle is not it's type, but it's role at the time. The Department of Transport has a document that defines the regulations concerning the fitting of warning lights to vehicles (red/white/blue, red, magenta, amber, green). Part of those definitions refer to threat to life and or property. If a vehicle meets the requirements of the DoT, then yes they can be fitted with red/blue lights. As the vehicles discussed above respond to incidents where there is threat to life, i believe they would meet the requirements.

modernmind wrote:Even though 'ambulance' is written on the vehicle i dont think it would fit within the defnition of an ambulance... Correct me if im wrong but an ambulance is "a vehicle specially equipped for taking sick or injured people to and from the hospital". This vehicle doesnt look like its made to convey sick or injured people?

If your question is more about whether the use of the word ambulance is appropriate, then that's a completely different matter...

Plus all they need to do is submit an application to the Department to say can we have Priority 1 status on this vehicle for this job, and they make it official.

Cool - thanks for that.

Was just wondering as the RTC just says 'ambulance' and doesn't specify an SJA ambulance, private ambulance etc, and doesnt provide a definition for ambulance.

Just curious of how far the interpretation could be stretched.

Not all of FESA's vehicles are capable of putting out a Fire, bust still have FIRE written on them.

The vehicle does carry equipment on board that is used to save lives, and i do believe they carry stretchers, and if push came to shove, could transport some one to hospital.

Space?? well they would be no different to the longreach falcons they used to use to transport

Think you'll find suprisingly few patients lie on a stretcher. A number sit upright in a seat. Push comes to shove a response vehicle can take patients sitting. They have aritcles in the paper periodically how people call for minor things like toothaches, want to visit friends in hospital etc.

Well in England they have 'Ambulance' Bikes 'Push Bikes'

There is a great program on in the UK at the moment, along the lines of "Bike" something that shows these officers attending the scene first and providing initial car and / or if an ambulance is required.

For Busy Soho the response time was an amazing 3 minutes!!!

NSW has bikes too, they used to run a show on TV, much the same as Medical Emergency for VIC on 7, it was on the ABC

Think you are referring to Help with the NSW ambulance service broadcast on SBS. It's available on youtube if you search the ANSW channel.

NSW has (had) skidoo ambulances too.