Rotators in the grill, on the hood, on the fender or "down low"

[Travelin Man]

From the mid-1960's through the 1980's, Henrico County FD (Virginia) put Vitalites at the front corners on or just above the bumper and up high at the rear of their apparatus.

Trivia: the last rig with bumper rotators was the 1999 Pierce Quantum at E-10. The station captain at the time was also the chair of the apparatus committee and was quite a traditionalist when it came to some things. Although the Division had stopped ordering the rotators on the bumpers by this time, he outfitted his new rig with Code 3 550's on the rear bumper once it was in their quarters.

 

[JohnMarcson]

when i was a kid we have a vollie squad in philly where i grew up it was a community ambulance they had some cool rigs. one had a code 3 xl fullsize in the front on the box a mini on the rear of the box and two tear drops on the front fenders it was a ford f350box. it also had 2red flashers with a white middle on on the sides of the fenders in a triple mount they were a bit smaller than par36 bulbs. one rig had the same front light bar with just flashers on the box but it had 4 dual beam bubble gums on the box roof one in each corner they we.re clear lenses with one clear and one red bulb each. and one rig had a red whelen strobe on each corner of the box on the roof and they all had the tradtional powercall a staple in the philly area for years.

The intersections you mention are usually STT lights, like the one pictured below. Single brake lights were also used. Weldon had the "primary" light market with its sealed beam round, then rounded edge square lights, which were the standard box light. The intersection light was often an aftermarket light meant to go somewhere else. Whelen began offering a 7x3 strobe and dual bulb halogen 7x3 soon after the idea of intersection lights became popular. From the 1980s until mid 90s your ambulance box came with Weldon or Whelen 9x7-ish flashers, two choices basically. The intersection lights were a toss up though for years, which led to cool things being tried. Now you can get a solid 7x3 led from CODE3, FedSig, Whelen, Tomar.... and they all look like a slightly fluted clear lens with LED and optics... in the 70s, 80s and 90s you could play spot the lower level lighting innovation/fail as a game on long trips in the car.

 

[stansdds]

Trivia: the last rig with bumper rotators was the 1999 Pierce Quantum at E-10. The station captain at the time was also the chair of the apparatus committee and was quite a traditionalist when it came to some things. Although the Division had stopped ordering the rotators on the bumpers by this time, he outfitted his new rig with Code 3 550's on the rear bumper once it was in their quarters.

Thanks for the info! I wondered when Henrico ceased installing the rotating lights. Now it seems everything is strobe and LED. Effective, yes. Less current draw, yes. Less maintenance, yes. But strobes and LEDs lack the character and charm of rotating lights.

 

[jph2]

Mercy Ambulance in Grand Rapids, MI, used to have Fireballs on the front fenders of their type IIs.





Photo property of Dave's EMS website.

 

[EL1998P71]

For awhile when my city had all Xl bars on their fire trucks.


All of them had 550 Beacons on the front bumpers.


here's one pic from an auction in 2009

 

[ERIC6913]

Anyone who likes rotators in the headlights needs to snag a couple of these Code 3 lights up! Too bad they are Code 3 or I'd buy 'em!


E-bay auction #261231920366

 

[shues]

Anyone who likes rotators in the headlights needs to snag a couple of these Code 3 lights up! Too bad they are Code 3 or I'd buy 'em!

E-bay auction #261231920366

This seller has some other interesting items as well, like a Sireno Model 199 Sky Lighter beacon: 261231919300

 

[Skip Goulet]

Hanover did it too. They also used tear drops.

The Midland Fire Dept. had a 1951 Jeep that was a chemical truck and was stationed for many years at the airport. It had a siren-light combination mounted in the center of the hood and a pair of Adam-12-type lights mounted above the windshield. I got to ride in that Jeep a few times when I was a kid. I think they sold it sometime in the '70s or '80s.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Mercy Ambulance in Grand Rapids, MI, used to have Fireballs on the front fenders of their type IIs.

View attachment 54149


Photo property of Dave's EMS website.

Just checked out Dave's EMS website. Awesome!

 

[50theman]

More Hanover Virginia with rotators "down low".


Thanks to the Hanover Professional Firefighters for the photos

 

[50theman]

More

 

[JohnMarcson]

Indiana Fire Trucks: Indianapolis Fire Station 44


The light wagon has dashlasers on the front hood.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Indiana Fire Trucks: Indianapolis Fire Station 44


The light wagon has dashlasers on the front hood.

Boy, that big HazMat truck is loooooong!

 

[theroofable]

 

[MARSMAN]

We still use one on Clark County Truck 18 a Whelen half bar R/B right above the grill in addition to the 1/2 roof bars and 4 strobes on the front of the bucket.

 

[EngCo4]

View attachment 55446

Sure would love to find one of those old International ambulances!


Rodesome of my first VFD calls on one like it!

 

[Skip Goulet]

Sure would love to find one of those old International ambulances!
Rodesome of my first VFD calls on one like it!

I was just going to ask if that one is still in service. My ambulance service had two Internationals,both of them lowtops. One was a 1962 model that we bought from the former Baker Ambulance Service in Odessa in 1972. Baker had moved their operation from Montana to Texas in 1965, bringing the '62 Internat'l and a stretched Pontiac station wagon ambulance with them. The International was a rugged old beast since it had seen duty in that cold Montana climate. It was replaced in 1974 by a 1965 Olds VistaCruiser wagon that had been built as an ambulance. The second International was a '63 model that had belonged to Metropolitan Ambulance in Amarillo. This old truck was famous as it was used by the Roundup! herbicide people in their national TV ads back in the early '70s. We got it in 1976.

 

[theroofable]

Sure would love to find one of those old International ambulances!
Rodesome of my first VFD calls on one like it!

I was just going to ask if that one is still in service. My ambulance service had two Internationals,both of them lowtops. One was a 1962 model that we bought from the former Baker Ambulance Service in Odessa in 1972. Baker had moved their operation from Montana to Texas in 1965, bringing the '62 Internat'l and a stretched Pontiac station wagon ambulance with them. The International was a rugged old beast since it had seen duty in that cold Montana climate. It was replaced in 1974 by a 1965 Olds VistaCruiser wagon that had been built as an ambulance. The second International was a '63 model that had belonged to Metropolitan Ambulance in Amarillo. This old truck was famous as it was used by the Roundup! herbicide people in their national TV ads back in the early '70s. We got it in 1976.

Funny story about that ambulance, and the whole organization. The squad was all volunteer and closed sometime in the early 2000s, when my hometown's ambulance service also closed in favor of a private company based out of the town which covers both areas. My town's service, building, and equipment was given to the private squad, but the one from the picture was closed up completely. Everything remains in the building, 2 ambulances that are still plugged in and run, and some of their equipment and jumpsuits. The building is right next to the fire department, so they keep one of their trucks in there as well. The other ambulance is a 1980s chevy with an Aerodynic lightbar. The international still goes to the Christmas parade though!

 

[Tristar]

Sure would love to find one of those old International ambulances!
Rodesome of my first VFD calls on one like it!

I remember as a kid seeing NYPD Emergency Svc International Harvester Travelalls. I've searched the www, and I can't find any photos of one. Does anyone have any photos of one that they could post? Thanks.

 

[kd0giz]

The neighboring district has an international commercial crew cab pumper with federal signal ivp's sitting on the corners of the front bumper. I like how they match with the vector on top.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Funny story about that ambulance, and the whole organization. The squad was all volunteer and closed sometime in the early 2000s, when my hometown's ambulance service also closed in favor of a private company based out of the town which covers both areas. My town's service, building, and equipment was given to the private squad, but the one from the picture was closed up completely. Everything remains in the building, 2 ambulances that are still plugged in and run, and some of their equipment and jumpsuits. The building is right next to the fire department, so they keep one of their trucks in there as well. The other ambulance is a 1980s chevy with an Aerodynic lightbar. The international still goes to the Christmas parade though!

My friend Steve Lichtman is a paramedic at the Baltimore airport and is a longtime member of the Professional Car Society (PCS). He really likes the old Internationals and has two or three (if not more) in his collection. If you go to the PCS website, there's a thread about "Carrryall" ambulance. The web address is: Professional Car Society Home page.

 

[Wailer]

Federal PA-10 or 15 if I remember correctly. It's been a long time.

If it was a PA10 (c. 1960-1962) or PA15 (c. 1962-1966) it probably came from an older ambo.

 

[coop359]

Seattle FD used to use Unity RV-15s on the fenders of their rigs. Saw this on Emergency when Johnny and Roy visited.

Photos can be seen if you search Seattle FD Kenworth. They used conventional KW cabs. The Last Resort is a collection of these old rigs

 

[Richard P]

This probably is a bit off, but I recall an older movie with a cop that had a cash register thrown through is unmarked cruiser windsheild in a botched robbery. He commandeered some old lady's white galaxy convert able. He took the magma until firebeam with ultraflash off the dash of his car and stuck it on the hood of the galaxy. That light was on there most of the movie. It was red to the front blue to the rear. But the mirror had What appeared to be small speakers on the ends for siren

 

[CrownVic97]

This probably is a bit off, but I recall an older movie with a cop that had a cash register thrown through is unmarked cruiser windsheild in a botched robbery. He commandeered some old lady's white galaxy convert able. He took the magma until firebeam with ultraflash off the dash of his car and stuck it on the hood of the galaxy. That light was on there most of the movie. It was red to the front blue to the rear. But the mirror had What appeared to be small speakers on the ends for siren

1996 movie "Carpool." Federal FireBeam (don't know if dual speed or reg speed) with red/blue filters, UF7 flash mirror, and side "siren speakers" where the other mirrors should be. Kinda goofy, but it's only Hollywood. They make the unbelievable believable :haha: .

 

[tnems7]

When Dodge and Plymouth big block engines ruled the road as County Mounties in a plain brown wrapper (1974?) I saw Beacon Ray juniors mounted within and behind the grill. Others used Dietz or Federal Vitalites. More beam spread than sealedbeam lights, for sure.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

I remember a bracket that tension fit over the top of front bench seatbacks with a roof sized beacon that flipped down behind the seat in stowed mode and flipped up to position atop the seatback in emergency mode. Can you imagine a 2 or 4 bulb beacon rotating right next to your right shoulder while racing to an emergency or chasing a speeder?

 

[stansdds]

I remember a bracket that tension fit over the top of front bench seatbacks with a roof sized beacon that flipped down behind the seat in stowed mode and flipped up to position atop the seatback in emergency mode. Can you imagine a 2 or 4 bulb beacon rotating right next to your right shoulder while racing to an emergency or chasing a speeder?

That was a product of Federal Signal and I suspect the light produced by a sealed beam beacon from inside the vehicle would have been highly distracting.  That might be the reason you don't see those things often.

 

[CodeMan]

Mercy Ambulance in Grand Rapids, MI, used to have Fireballs on the front fenders of their type IIs.

46721.attach


Photo property of Dave's EMS website.

I remember seeing this light set up on some Raul Metro rigs back in the day in Central Fl. the first intersection lights...

 

[CHIEFOPS]

That was a product of Federal Signal and I suspect the light produced by a sealed beam beacon from inside the vehicle would have been highly distracting.  That might be the reason you don't see those things often.

Ya think?

 

[coop359]

Federal Signal had the over the seat light. It had a Federal 14 light on it. Dailey out of Chicago had a less fancy bracket with a Darley Action light on it. Illinois State Police use to run a Beacon Ray Jr. on the seat bracket. Very cool looking.

 

[7d9_z28]

Not sure which one, but I remember seeing a picture of the Federal flip up light in a thread on here, along with a little discussion. Cool idea for sure, but definitely distracting!

 

[dmathieu]

Here are a couple of varieties.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

Yeah, this is the one. I remember seeing them in catalogs, never saw one in person.

Can you imagine running with one of these activated??

 

[JohnMarcson]

Different safety standards then....

 

[LRGJr72]

Mercy Ambulance in Grand Rapids, MI, used to have Fireballs on the front fenders of their type IIs.

46721.attach


Photo property of Dave's EMS website.

Suburban Ambulance (Oakland & Macomb County) used to feature this identical setup with a pair of Fireballs on their hoods. I think they only had the van-based vehicles in their fleet. Speaking of Suburban Ambulance.. there sure is a real lack of pictures of that bygone company on the Internet. 

 

[Maxim2Eng]

My brother tried the 14 inside the car...ONCE!  And never did it again!  It was an early morning run in rural Oldham Co. KY.  He unplugged it after 3 or 4 revolutions.  He said it was worse than being on a disco dance floor.  :crazy:

 

[JazzDad]

11.jpg

Different safety standards then....

What, because the lights don't have their seatbelts on?

 

[CHIEFOPS]

While I generally appreciate the early innovations and evolution of the warning equipment market, with some of this stuff you have to wonder "what where they thinking??"

 

[Windycity411]

I always liked the mini bars under the front windows of fire apparatus. Great pics in this thread.