Frazer Bilt Amb - Need Input

[SCOOBY14B]

We are looking at buying a few Frazer Built ambulances for evaluation. It is a company out of Texas. His technique is to use a seperate gas powered generator to power all of the rear power and emergency lights. The heat/ac unit is same theory as a home heat pump.

What I am looking for is:
1) some pros/cons if you have run this system
2) How many units you are running
3) ANY problems with these units
4) Problems with service, etc

THANKS

[email protected]

[bookworm]

Frazer builds a great box. There are MANY units in service here in Texas including all of the Houston FD boxes. Frazer likes to use gasoline generators instead of diesel due to noise so you would have two separate types of fuel if you went with a diesel chassis. I believe Houston goes with a gasoline chassis.

Frazer's boxes are big and they will build what you want. This is just my opinion. I have spoken often Laura Frazer (I think the last name may have changed) many times and they are very open to discuss things with you.

The AC system on the rear is one of the big selling points here in Texas. The system is more akin to a residential system than an automotive system.

[SCOOBY14B]

bookworm,

Thanks for the replies. Do you happen to know of any problems with HFD's trucks? We would be going diesel, so the concern of someone puting diesel into gen set tank concerns me.

As far as the box. I go the impression that they do very LITTLE customization. The CEO (Griffin?) was who brought the truck by. He pretty much said "what you see is what you get".

As far as the box goes. The box may be built well, but it is the ugliest "looking" box I have ever seen.

Thanks

[bookworm]

It is also my understanding that they don't do a lot of customizing, however, they will work with their customers. Several of the cities surrounding mine have gone to Frazer and they seem to enjoy them. Most of them run diesel chassis and gas generators. I have not heard of any problems. Some of the cities around us that have them are: North Richland Hills, Keller, Aubrey, just to name a couple. Give them a call.

[STATION2]

Scooby14B,

We (HFD) use nothing but their "boxes" for our BLS and ALS transport units. Have been using them for decades and their is no reason to change. They are big and have alot of room inside. Ours are on gasoline (WHY I DON'T KNOW) chassis and the gen set runs off the chassis fuel tank. My volunteer department just outside Houston has EMS provided by the County and they use nothing but Frazer also on diesel chassis Ford's. They have had no problems with them and love them. E-Mail me and I'll give you the contact info for their Deputy Chief of Operations who can tell you more. Overall though, Frazer is a solid company located in Southwest Houston (Station 51's territory) and make a good product. As for customization, they will work with you on what your interior layout, exterior compartments, etc. need to be.

Stay low and move it in.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

To second what Larry said, we've had Frazer's building our units for years, and no one can remember a problem with the box itself yet. We neighbor Ft Bend EMS and HFD, and have never heard any peeps out of them either. We have never looked to do much customization so I don't know how they are with that. We run diesel chassis and unleaded gensets. About the only recurring quirk is the fuel gauges seems to always be off on the unleaded, but we've never looked into it. Probably just a cable adjustment or something. Anywho, we were using Ford F350 chassis, then went with Chevy 3500HD with the Duramax and the Allison tranny on the last one and it purrs. The Ford trannies just didn't seem to hold up as well. Ft Bend Medic 9 is our neighbor and they just got a new one with all LED lighting. Very, VERY sweet. I don't think you'll go wrong by going with them.

Brian

[Meducare310]

Be careful

We looked into Fraiser ambulances several years ago and decided not to use them for several reasons.
We operate a critical care / neonatal transport team. All of our critical care units have diesel generators on board that pull fuel from the main tank. (our other 6 front line ALS units do not have generators) We use generators for back up power only. They are there in case the truck brakes down, looses electrical power, etc. You will never be stranded on the side of the road in one of our units and not have everything working in the back.
Now if the generator in a Fraiser unit craps out you loose everything, nothing works in the back and none of the emergency lights operate. No what are you going to do? You have a critical patient in the back. Now your vent monitor, pumps, etc are on battery power. You can't see because it's night time so as you turn on the flashlight you discover the tube is been pulled out because you kicked the vent when you were reaching. Now your patient is no longer intubated, you are trying to handle everything while holding a flashlight to see and to top it all off - YOU ARE SITTING STILL IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE POWER FOR EMERGENCY LIGHTS ANS A SIREN.

See my point. It's a good idea for some but it doesn't work for all. Think about what you plan to use the unit for and get a group together to discuss the "what if's" before you buy.