Vehicle Air Conditioning and cooling limitations

As temperatures rise in the next days and weeks, air conditioning (A/C) systems in Double Staffed Ambulances (DSAs) will be worked hard.

These systems are designed to work in a closed environment and will only lower the ambient temperature by up to 15 degrees over a period of time, with the air recirculation set to on.  

This in effect may only reduce the vehicles internal temperature from an ambient 35 degrees to a steady 25 degrees. This is not a failing of the system, but the limit of its efficiency.

The updated Trust Guidance for COVID spaces are ventilated. Should the Ambulance saloon be vented through the use of windows and ventilation systems, this is going to significantly reduce the effectiveness of the A/C systems, which may lead to more out of service (OOS) calls due to A/C systems ’not working’. 

Can any OOS calls where an A/C defect is being reported please be checked and challenged before removing any DSAs from service for these defects. 

Fleet will be keeping a log of A/C no-fault-found defects and reporting as required. 

Friday 15th July 2022