In an effort to increase safety on the road, LifeNet has overhauled the exterior design for their ambulances in favor of one more noticeable on the road. The changes can be seen as of Friday, May 18, when the first new ambulance hits the streets.

“We looked at more than 30 designs based on the concepts we had researched,” LifeNet Executive Director David Baumgardner said. “We pared it down to about three designs that the crews reviewed and made comments on. The Board (of Directors) made the final determination.”

The new design features a white background. Each side bears the teal LifeNet logo, red and teal accents and a red and white checked pattern across the bottom of the sides and the cab. The back features a LifeNet logo in the middle of a white triangle outlined on either side by diagonal red and white stripes. All parts of the design — excluding the white — are reflective for conspicuity.

“Our research showed that solid straight lines don’t reflect well,” Baumgardner said. “The chevron pattern in the back was another big piece of the puzzle.”

Two other ambulances have received the new paint job and will be in use in the Hot Springs area within the next few weeks, Baumgardner said. The other 30 ambulances still bear the gray and teal background that has set them apart for the past 14 years, but the entire fleet will eventually bear the new design.

“There was a lack of excitement when (employees) saw the designs, but when the striper came over and actually started putting the designs on, people started getting more excited. Now that they can see it in three dimensions I think it’s easier to be excited about.”

This is only one measure LifeNet has taken in order to increase safety on the road. Other measures include installing devices called DriveCams® that monitor both the ambulance cab and the exterior view from the dash. These DriveCams® help monitor the driving habits of LifeNet employees, but they also can be used as an educational tool to show employees the hazards they may face on the road.

LifeNet also conducts an annual motor vehicle report for each employee to make sure each employee is insurable. Cell phone usage while driving is strictly prohibited, and measures are taken to prevent and reduce fatigue behind the wheel. New employees are also trained extensively before they are allowed behind the wheel of an ambulance.

Not only will the new design ideally make the ambulances more noticeable on the road, but it should also help LifeNet cut costs. The predominantly white design will be easier, cheaper and faster to repair. According to Baumgardner, this will reduce the cost to LifeNet by $2,500 per vehicle. With 33 units, this should amount to a savings of at least $82,500.

There are also cosmetic advantages. Debris kicked up on the road by passing cars can chip the paint and is more noticeable on darker paint.

“The new scheme doesn’t show all the nicks like the darker vehicles,” Baumgardner said.

Baumgardner also explained that there is a system to the renovation process. Newly purchased ambulances will receive the new design, and the currently owned ambulances will get the design when they are remounted.

“Remounting an ambulance is when we take the patient compartment off the existing chassis (the cab and undercarriage) and replace the chassis,” Baumgardner said. “The patient compartment lasts longer than the engine. This process is about two-thirds of the cost of a completely new ambulance.”

According to Baumgardner, it will be approximately two years before all of the vehicles bear the new color scheme.

Another addition to the vehicles is the Spanish reminder to call 911. The ambulances now read, “Llama al 9-1-1 para policia los bomberos o una amulancia,” along with the English prompt.

“We’ve been thinking about adding Spanish to the vehicles for awhile,” Baumgardner said. “The timing was right to do that as well.”

While the color will change, the LifeNet logo will remain the same. A change of logo would require an extensive overhaul of the Web site, letterhead, building, signs and anything else bearing the LifeNet logo.

The gradual change will keep ambulances on the street and available for use.

“This way we save money,” Baumgardner said. “It would be a pretty expensive process, and we wouldn’t want to have our patients suffer through that.”

LifeNet is a private, not for profit corporation providing advanced life support ambulance service for the Texas Counties of Bowie, Cass, and Red River and Arkansas Counties of Miller, Little River, Garland and aeromedical services in nineteen counties.