Victorian Ambulance





The following page provides a range of photos of Ambulances in Victoria's Ambulance Service between 2001 & 2010



	2001 In 2001, RAV established the first of it's Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) to provide an advanced level of first aid to small communities where Ambulance response times to that area is significant, but the area is isolated, of extremely low workload, therefore making the establishment of an Ambulance Station simply not economically viable, with the initial trial program beginning in November 2001 at Lavers Hill - 65 km south of Colac, and operating out of a non patient transport Subaru 4WD Forester. The Forester remains the primary CERT vehicle Click here for more photos of the Subaru Forester Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units






	2002 Pictured here is Metropolitan Ambulance Service's first Golf Buggy response Unit for major events. It has since been unpdated to a more efficient vehicle (shown below). Click here for more photos of the Golf Cart.




	2002 Pictured here in 2002, the Holden Station wagon was introduced in the early 1990's as a rapid response vehicle, as well as for the transportation of non emergency walking patients by the Clinic Car division of MAS, and the PTO division in RAV. The Ford Territory has taken over as the primary Single Responder Vehicle with the station wagons now used for administration and staff movements. Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units




	2002 Metro’s 2002 Mercedes Vito Clinic Transport Vehicle.




	2002 Victoria’s first Ford F-350 was introduced at a cost of $140,000 into Victoria’s Ambulance Services initially in 2002 at the Alexandra Region using a modified Queensland Ambulance Service rear module built by Superior Industries. While the Ford chassis was highly successful, the rear module has not been adopted by Victoria. These are now beinng replaced with the Mercedes 318 Sprinters. Click here for more photos of Alexandra's F-350.




	2002 The Mercedes Sprinter 316 with it's more powerful engine than it's predecessor was introduced in 2002. It was ntroduced in large numbers throughout MAS and RAV as the GMC replacement, Cost per vehicle is approx $140,000. Pictured top is the original 316 paint scheme for RAV which was soon replaced with the more colourful MAS paint scheme (middle). This vehicle is now being replaced in large numbers by the more comfortable and efficient Mercedes 318 Sprinter. Click here to go to the walk around view of MAS's Mercedes. Click here to go to more photos of the Mercedes 316 Sprinter.






	2002 Metro’s 2002 Mercedes Sprinter Clinic Transport Vehicle.






	2002 In 2002, RAV began trialling the Mercedes 316 CDI Sprinter 4WD vehicle which was initially accepted fairly well in the field due to reasonable road handling capabilities and ride comfort. Due to it's poor 4WD capacity, the Toyota TroopCarrier is now the 4WD of choice. Click here to go to more photos of the Mercedes 316 Sprinter.






	2003 A 2003 Holden Commodore VX Wagon used by Metro’s Clinic Transport Services.






	2003 Victoria's Nissan Patrol 4WD was introduced to replace the older Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD. At a cost of $140 000 each, they provided improved comfort & road stability, as well as far more working space compared to the Troopcarrier. Due to cost and availablity however the Toyota TroopCarrier is now the 4WD of choice. Click here to go to more photos of the Nissan 4WD.






	2003 Pictured at an accident scene outside Colac is HEMS 1 (Air 495). The Eurocopter - Dauphin AS 365N3 was brought into Service in 2002 and was currently based at Essendon Airport in Melbourne. Crewed by a Pilot and Observer (Victoria Police Officers) and 1 MICA Flight Paramedic, it is capable of carrying 2 Stretcher patients. Powered by 2 x Arriel 2C turbomeca free turbine engines, it had a cruising speed of 145 knots, and an operational range of within 150 km of Melbourne. This helicopter has now been superseded with a later model and new red & white colour scheme. Click Here to go to the HEMS 1 history & photo page.






	2003 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's Holden VY Commodore Rapid Response Unit utilised by the Clinical Support Officers. Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Sedans






	2003 The Newborn Emergency Transport Service (NETS) vehicle based on the Ford Transit parked outside Colac Hospital. Operated by the Metropolitan Ambulance Service in conjunction with the Royal Women's Hospital, the NETS vehicle responds around the state to newborns who required specialist care with the vehicle is staffed by Critically Care trained Doctor & Midwife. This Vehicle has now been replaced by a Mercedes 315 Sprinter (shown below)






	2003 Ski Slopes of Victoria are serviced by a number of RAV skidoos and patient transport trailers. Pictured here is Fall's Creek Ski-Doo and patient transport sled. Click here to go to more pictures of the Ski-Doo






	2003 In November 2003, RAV introduced the Ford F-350 as a trial vehicle to replace the GMC which ceased being imported to Australia in 2002. The rear cabin is a refurbished 'A Series' cabin with the new colour scheme remounted on the new F-350 chassis. Only a few remain now replaced by the Mercedes 318 Sprinter Click here for more photos of RAV's F-350.






	2003 In 2003, Metropolitan Ambulance Service introduced a small number a Ford F-350s as trial vehicles using Metro’s rear Module built by Mader International as an option to the GMC and Mercedes Ambulances. These have now been replaced by the Mercedes 318 Sprinter Click here for more photos of MAS's F-350.






	2003 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's Rapid Response Holden VY Station Wagon. The Ford Territory has taken over as the primary Single Responder Vehicle, with the station wagons now used for administration and staff movements. Click here to go to more Holden VY Wagon photos Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units






	2004 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's new mobile Command and Communications vehicle. Click here for more photos of the Command Centre.






	2004 RAV's new non urgent patient transport vehicle using the Ford Transit. These have been replace with twin stretcher Mercedes 318 Sprinters. Click here for more photos of the Ford Transit.






	2004 One of two Metropolitan Ambulance Service's new Emergency Support Units based on the Mercedes Sprinter. Click here to go to more photos of the Mercedes. Click here to go to more photos of the ESU.






	2004 In 2004 the Metropolitan Ambulance Service converted an old Mercedes Sprinter into a new Education Unit for public displays. Click here to go to more photos of the Education Unit.






	2004 Ambulance Victoria's 2004 version of the Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD being rolled out across Victoria Click Here for more photos of the Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD 2004 version .






	2004 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's 2004 Toyota Landcruiser 4WD Response Unit. Click here to go to more Toyota Landcruiser photos.






	2005 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's new VW T5 Transporter vehicle. A small number were purchased for trial, but due to size and storage issues are being replaced with the Mercedes 318 Sprinter. Click Here for more photos of the VW.






	2005 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's latest Newborn Emergency Transport vehicle based on the Mercedes 316 Sprinter. Click Here for more photos of NETS Mercedes.






	2005 Victoria's new Single Response Unit is based on the Ford Territory. It improved height over sedans and wagons and better storage capacity has made it the prime choice for the future. Click Here for more photos of the Territory. Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units






	2005 The Lifeflight 'Royal Children's Helicopter' was a non-Ambulance controlled BK117 B2 Helicopter operated as a not for profit emergency transport helicopter contracted by the Royal Children's 'and the Royal Women's Hospital for the retrieval of critically injured or ill children from rural Hospitals to Melbourne, and was utilised by the Victorian Ambulance Service on a as need basis. It is no longer in operation since AV introduced HEMS 5 into service in March 2009. Click Here for more photos of the BK117 Helicopter.






	2005 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's trial Rapid Response Unit based on the Holden Adventura. It has now been replaced with the Ford Territory due improved height over sedan and better storage capacity. Click Here for more photos of the Adventura. Click here for more photos of the Victoria's Rapid Response Units.






	2006 Metropolitan Ambulance Service's Mercedes Sprinter converted to support the bicycles utilitsed at major sporting events.. Click Here for more photos of the Bike Support Unit






	2007 Rural Ambulance Victoria's began introducing the Mercedes 315 Sprinter into service in June 2007. Whilst a significant improvement over the Mercedes 316 Sprinter, poor performance of the 4 cylinder engine has now ceased it's introduction in preference to the Mercedes 318 6 cylinder Sprinter. Click Here for more photos of the Mercedes 315 Sprinter






	2007 The latest version of the Eurocopter - Dauphin, the SA.365C1 Dauphin 2 (VH-PVA) was brought into Service in 20072 and is currently based at Essendon Airport in Melbourne. Crewed by a Pilot and Observer (Victoria Police Officers) and 1 MICA Flight Paramedic, it is capable of carrying 2 Stretcher patients. Powered by 2 x Arriel 2C turbomeca free turbine engines, it had a cruising speed of 145 knots, and an operational range of within 150 km of Melbourne.and comes in the new red & white colour scheme. Click Here to go to the HEMS 1 history & photo page.






	2007 Pictured here is Metropolitan Ambulance Service's latest Golf Buggy response Unit for major events. Click here for more photos of the Golf Cart.






	2008 Ambulance Victoria's new Mercedes Protective Equipment vehicle contains a range of equipment for Mass Casualty CBR response. Click Here for more photos of the Protective Equipment vehicle.






	2008 Ambulance Victoria's new Mercedes CVAP (Complex Patient Ambulance Vehicle) began being introduced into Service in small numbers for the care and transport of morbid obese and critical care patients who require a range of medical equipment that will not fit into the standard Ambulance vehicle Click Here for more photos of the CPAV vehicle.






	2010 Ambulance Victoria's latest version of the Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD being rolled out across Victoria Click Here for more photos of the Toyota Troopcarrier 4WD 2010 version .






Click Here to Return to the Pictorial Ambulance History Page