PULSE Magazine | April 2020 Issue

Last week Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services placed our first new ambulance with a Dodge 5500 RAM chassis in service at Medic-16.

We moved from a 4500 to 5500 RAM chassis for the extra weight capacity which im- proves safety during harsh road driving and sudden maneuvers. It will provide a signif- icantly better ride as well due to the addition of the liquid spring suspension system in the rear. The 2019 RAM also has a key-less ignition button. Crews will be able to carry the key fob and once they enter the cab be able to start the unit with the push of a button. Once on scene they can walk away from the unit and press the lock key on the fob and all the doors will lock. The truck will continue to run without the key fob in the cab. All future ambulances will come this way.

You may notice in the picture that it does not have the large Ranch Hand bumper that you've gotten accustomed to seeing. These trucks are so new that after market com- panies have not developed a bumper for this model yet.

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