.
o

This specification is not intended to outline every detail of the vehicle
specification. It is designed to outline minimum standards and requirements for
the apparatus.
o

All apparatus purchased through Albemarle County in accordance with this
specification document shall be delivered as a complete and serviceable piece
of equipment without any modifications by the purchasing or requesting
department.
o

This document is designed to allow each department to make some
modifications to the specification in order to best suit their needs. However, all of
the requirements set forth in this specification shall be considered mandatory and
as such should be considered with making modifications.

Chassis
o

Basic Requirements:

Chassis to have dual rear wheels

Chassis to have diesel engine

Chassis to have automatic transmission

Chassis to have all wheel drive

Completed unit not to exceed 85% of gross vehicle rated weight

Ambulance Prep Package
o

Chassis Recommendation:

It is the recommendation of this committee that the default chassis for
Albemarle County Type I ambulances be the Ford 450 Chassis.
o

Chassis Components:

2 Door XLT cab with Rubber Flooring

6.0L Power Stroke Diesel

TorqShift 5 Speed Automatic Transmission

4 X 4 Transfer Case Manual 2 Speed

165 Wheelbase

16,000 Lb. Gross Vehicle Weight ( 85 % 13,600 lbs.)

Power Windows & Doors

Power Steering

Power Brakes

Heavy Duty Cloth Front Bucket Seats

Ford Paint Color to be specified by Agency

Manual, Telescoping Trailer Tow Mirrors

4 Wheel ABS Brakes

4 Wheel Disc Brakes (Largest Available)

Driver & Passenger Air Bags (with disable switch)

Tow Hooks Front & Rear

Limited Slip 4:88-1 Axle Ratio

Air Conditioning

Auxiliary Idle Kit (Should be standard in ECM)

40 U. S. Gal Fuel Tank aft Rear Axle with skid plate
Emergency Lighting:
o

The warning light package shall conform to current K.K.K. specifications at the
time the order is placed.
o

The total electrical load of all emergency lighting devices shall not exceed 70
amps.
o

Grille Lights:

Two (2) red Whelen 700 series (or comparable) lightheads
o

Front Intersection Lights:

One (1) red Whelen 400 series (or comparable) lighthead located on
each side located on the front fender
o

Front Body Lights

Seven (7) Whelen 900 series (or comparable) lightheads located across
the top of the box arranged in a red-white-red arrangement
o

Rear Intersection Lights

One (1) red Whelen 600 series (or comparable) lighthead located on
each side located above the rear wheel well
o

Rear Body Lights

Two (2) red Whelen 900 series (or comparable) lightheads located at the
top of the box in the corners.

Two (2) amber Whelen 900 series (or comparable) lightheads located
below the red lightheads, positioned so that they are visible through the
rear door windows when the doors are in an open position.

One (2) amber Whelen 600 series (or comparable) lighthead located
centered at the top of the box.
o

Headlight Flasher

A Whelen, solid-state headlight flasher [Whelen Model #SSF2150] shall be
installed. This flasher shall flash the high beams in an alternating pattern
when triggered. The flasher shall be deactivated whenever the
headlights are on, both low and high beam.
o

Opticom Traffic Control Device

A remote mount Opticom Traffic Control emitter shall be installed on top
of the stanchion located on the front of the box. This emitter shall have a
blackout lens. The Opticom control module shall be installed in the
electrical compartment.
o

Exterior Scene Lighting
o

Side Scene Lights

Two (2) Whelen 900 series (or comparable) lightheads located on each
side of the box across to top, just inset of the red emergency lightheads
o

Rear Scene Lights

Two (2) Whelen 900 series (or comparable) lightheads located on the rear
of the box across the top, between the red and amber emergency
lightheads.
o

Underbody Lighting

One (1) white lighthead shall be located under the body of the vehicle at
each entry/exit point as well as at the four corners of the box. These lights
shall only illuminate when the battery switch is in the on position and the
transmission is in park.
Exterior Clearance/Marker Lights
o

Front:

Clearance lights shall be provided per FMVSS 108 for reflective and
associated equipment. The lights shall illuminate the height of the vehicle, the width and define the vehicle center line. Five amber light emitting
diode (LED) type lights shall be provided on the front of the module.
Each light shall be populated with at least three LED's.
o

Rear:

Clearance lights shall be provided per FMVSS 108 for reflective and
associated equipment. The lights shall illuminate the height of the vehicle,
the width and define the vehicle center line. Five red light emitting diode
(LED) type lights shall be provided on the rear of the module. Each light
shall be populated with at least three LED's.
Audible Warning
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Electronic Siren

One (1) Whelen WS295 200 watt
o

Electronic Speaker

Two (2) Whelen 100 watt compact speakers located in the front grille
o

Air Horns

Two (2) Buell 15 air horns with associated compressor and air tank.

Ambulance Box
o

Construction

The ambulance body shall be all aluminum. The body sheet shall be
reinforced with structural members designed to resist deflection and hold
up to extreme ambulance service per federal specification KKK-A-1822D
3.10.5.

All welds within the modular body shall meet American Welding Society
codes for structural and sheet welding. All weld sites shall be cleaned prior
to welding. All welds shall be free of cracks, cavitation, oxidation and
foreign substances. All M.I.G. Welds shall be shielded with Argon, during
the process. Welders employed to weld on the body shall be certified to
AWS QC7-93.
o

Roof

The roof sheet shall be derived from one piece. The four edges of the
sheet shall be continuously welded to the roof rail extrusion to prevent
leaks. All perimeter welds shall be ground smooth and worked smooth
prior to the over all paint job. The use of filler materials to seal gaps
between the roof rail extrusion and the roof sheet is unacceptable.

The roof sheet shall be supported by full width .125 x 2.25 x 2.25 inch
architectural box tubing. The roof bows shall be located on, at most,
twelve inch centers. The roof bows shall be M.I.G. Welded to the roof rail
extrusions with no less than four and one-half inches of continuous weld
per end. The roof sheet shall be bonded to the roof bows with VHB (Very
High Bond) adhesive tape.
o

Floor

All Floor structures shall be at least one-quarter (0.250) by two by three
inch aluminum, 6063-T6, architectural rectangular tubing.

The module floor shall provide core support for the side assemblies. A
minimum of four (4) full body width floor members shall connect to and
support the side wall assemblies. Each member shall be made of 6063-T6
aluminum. Two of the members shall be at least one-quarter inch by two
by three inch rectangular architectural box tubing and be located just
forward and aft of the wheel housing. The forward member shall be at
least six inch aluminum association channel and the aft member shall be
at least one-eighth inch by two by two inch architectural box tubing.
one-half inch thick plates shall be welded into the floor structure assembly
at all locations were cot fasteners will be installed. All cot fastening
hardware shall be through bolted. One inch (1 inch) thick tapping plates
shall be welded in at all sites where through bolting can not be done over
fuel tanks. Written and verbal notice to the buyer must be provided if
tapping plates are used in lieu of through-bolting.

The plywood sub floor shall be shielded from moisture. A aluminum sub
sheet at least forty mil thick shall be sealed to the floor structure with
silicone sealant. Additional aluminum plates shall be intermittent welded
between compartments, wheel well liners, step wells and fuel filler
housings. All of the aforementioned areas shall be thoroughly sealed
from one to the other, creating a sealed patient cabin from the outside.

All extrusion-hollows shall be filled with expandable foam sealant to
prevent fumes and moisture from entering.
o

Doors

The door skin shall be at least .090 thick 5052-H34 aluminum sheet formed
on all four sides to create a crevice free surface for best paint adhesion
and corrosion resistance. The formed edges shall not have elongation
cracks due to forming. The formed edges uniformly rounds off exposed
edges for better paint adhesion and aesthetic appeal.

The door frame shall reinforce the perimeter of the skin pan. The extrusion
shall incorporate a T-slot to receive an extruded, hollow, closed cell
weather strip. Glued on weather stripping is not acceptable due to
inconsistent bond quality inherent in lazy-S patterns created by hand with
glue that come in collapsible tubes.

The door frame shall also add torsion resistance to the door assembly. The
door frame shall be mitered at the corners, assembled with one-way,
drive-in splines, and continuously welded on the inside. The door frame
shall also incorporate a clearance way for UNF threaded blind fasteners
for the door panels. The door panel shall not rest on the body of the blind
fasteners.

The door skin shall be bonded to the frame assembly with an adhesive
sealant in addition to intermittent welding. Additional adhesive sealant
shall be applied to the inside of