1962: Hess & Eisenhardt Hi-Top Ambulance

1962: Hess & Eisenhardt Hi-Top Ambulance

Cross Posted: EMS History; Ambulances; Timeline; By Era; Land Based
Submitter/Author: Tom Barlett-(MS)

This is a 1962 Hess & Eisenhardt S&S Professional body mounted on a Cadillac chassis.

 

It represented an interior headroom of 54", radical design interior storage cabinetry and in-line oxygen and vaccum suction. It featured three "Solar-Ray" vertical and horizontal sweeping forward facing warning lights, a newly introduced 184 beacon and a Federal Q2B mechanical siren underneath the hood all manufactured by the Federal Sign & Signal Corporation. It was probably one of the most expensive ambulances of that era but was recogized as an icon in terms of advanced design that was years ahead of its time.

Keywords: ambulance, Cadillac, Hess & Eisenhardt

Last Revision Date: 3/6/08 - 6:09 PM

1 Memory Shared

Report AbusePosted by 385 on Saturday, May 22, 2010 07:10 PM Pacific
This the first ambulance I rode in 1972. It was Wm.B. Mahwhinney Ambulance Corps(Hawthorne NJ) 38-1. Shortly after I joined the Corps it was replaced by a 1972 S&S Cadillac which was the first ambulance in the area painted orange and white. There was talk of sending the new ambulace to be repainted all white as above. But the color grew on the officers and our second unit 38-2 was sent out for painting. In 1972 I became once of the first EMT's in the state of New Jersey. We were not allowed to run as EMTs by our squad for another year. Little by little we introduced what was then advanced life support, i.e. High flow 02, vitial signs and radio contact with local hospitals. I retired as a firefighter/EMT in Florida.

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