Ambulance Security

[SANDSTROMJM]

What kind of Anti-Theft devices do you use on your ambulances. I am asking due to the current threat level(s). I am uncomfortable shutting down the rig when on scene, the fear that Murphy is watching me and when I really need to move, the rig won't start.
Joe

[firenresq77]

We can leave keys in the ignition and leave it running and lock the doors. We have a unlock button that is hidden on the rig to get back in.

We also have an alarm system built into it. When the rig is running and in park, we hit the alarm button to arm it. Then we can remove the keys from the ignition (which will still keep it running). As soon as someone tries to move the rig (ie. applying the brakes to shift into drive) without putting the keys back in and turning ignition into the "on" position, the rig shuts off, the horn starts blaring, and I believe the lights flash.

[jam755]

The service I used to work for has kill switches. Turn on the switch and take the keys out of the ignition. If the brake is depressed while the keys are out of the ignition (which you have to do to put the truck into gear) then it kills the engine. When you are ready to go, put the keys back in the ignition and take off. The one problem with this is when you are in a hurry and forget to put the key back in the ignition because it is usually dark and there are usually plenty of people around to laugh at you while your partner yells at you from the darkness in the back of the truck.

At the service I work for now both the driver and the tech carry keys to the truck. We leave the truck running and lock it. Not the best security but it is cheap.

[lmrchief2]

Joe I agree with you on the increased threat level but I also believe this should have been done before-simply because of the drug boxes we carry. Be fore the security threats if we responded into a bad area we would have PD dispatched with us just to watch the unit while we inside. Coming from an area with very little crime we did not think much of it. Then the hospitals in the area said they were having an increase in overdoses and felt we needed more protection. While we were in the city we usually got the PD to show up on our calls anyway so we just assigned an officer to the unit.

I think locking up the unit is a good idea as long as everyone has a spare key or some other way of unlocking it. Our private service had one of their units stolen by a couple of kids and while being chased slammed it into a cement abutement. That unit was sitting in front of the station for crew change with the keys in it.

I used to do the same thing when I worked there. Times have changed it is not just the terrorist that we need to think of to keep our units safe. I can go from there one of our departments in the county had their Fire Investigators truck stolen from inside the station. Marked with all the Fire Department markings and everything and it still made it all the way to Kentucky from Michigan before it was found.

We all need to make sure we are aware of what is going on and try to come up with ways to prevent these types of incidents. I work in security for a full time job and the guy that was in charge of the department when I started working here once told me "Locks are just to keep the honest people honest" I have to agree with that. I do like the kill switch idea.

Keep Safe

[CollegeBuff]

Not designed as a security measure, but the GPS trackers/message transmitters in all of our trucks would certainly prove a wise investment should one of them go missing.

[lmrchief2]

Front page of the com they are stealing Fire trucks in Canada.

Does not sound like they got far though. I would not want to be the one calling that in. It really is a shame what were these guys thinking when they stole a fire truck.

[ff7134]

We have a system like firenresq77, as for taking our Drug box....all of our Narcs and "good" stuff is in a steel box mounted to a steel plate. If you wnat to try and take the box...your going to have to take helf the side of the interior.

[Dave1983]

Our transport agency has no security for the units. Im sure that will change as soon as one is stolen. Nothing like being proactive.

Dave

[btroutm]

If the weather is cold (heat) or hot (AC), or if we have to leave any lights on, we leave the rig running with the keys in and we lock the doors. Unfortunately, the new rigs don't have power locks (another wise investment by our company), so we have to check all the doors manually. Also, all of our units have built-in trackers.

[TotalChaos]

heh.. I'm with Dave here..

[RyanEMVFD]

as long as the GPS is programmed correctly. The one in our unit at first showed us to be off the coast of Iceland.

[IAMedic]

Originally posted by RyanEMVFD
as long as the GPS is programmed correctly. The one in our unit at first showed us to be off the coast of Iceland.

Man, I'd hate to pay for the ground mileage for that transfer. Hope you had them sign an ABN (Advanced Beneficiary Notice)!! :D

[CollegeBuff]

No programming problems here. They work better than the radios do.