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August 22, 2008

See them coming -- new color ambulances

By Carol Cole-Frowe

A zippier color-scheme and graphics will help the public spot EMSStat ambulances, along with more closely identifying the emergency vehicles with the Norman Regional Health System that operates them.

The newly designed red-and-purple swooshes up the sides of the first ambulance with the new look are garnering more attention than the previous blue stripes.

"We like it. We like the design," said Sean Lauderdale, EMSStat crew chief. "And it's different."

NRHS graphic design coordinator Micah Thomson said NRH Vice President Greg Terrell asked him to come up with potential designs to improve the ambulances' visibility and the hospital system's branding.

"This will get people's attention," Thomson said. "That's the main point."

The red-and-purple design was chosen after consideration by the administration, paramedics and the communication department. A much larger NRHS logo on the side helps identify the vehicles.

Departments were pretty much unanimous on the design, Thomson said, although they went back-and-forth on the colors.

The purple aligns with the NRHS colors.

Lauderdale said the EMSStat paramedics are proud to be part of the Norman Regional Health System and the ambulances should reflect that.

"For us being part of the health system, we have a great continuum of care," he said.

This ambulance was a remounted older box mounted on a new chassis.

"So it's like new," Lauderdale said.

Thomson said it was the first full vinyl warp they had done, with the design continuing around each side.

They worked with J -- B Graphics of Oklahoma City on the vinyl applications.

A state law that required the ambulances to have orange stripes in a certain width changed in 2005, and EMSStat ambulances' stripes were painted over with blue, Lauderdale said.

"It's all about visibility," Lauderdale said.

He said the newly designed ambulance still needs to be equipped and inspected, before it goes into service.

Other ambulances in EMSStat's 12-ambulance fleet will receive the new design as they are replaced, Lauderdale said.

Carol Cole-Frowe 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com

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