Bus - NYC Slang Term?

[Guest]

Does anyone know why NY city FFs refer to an ambulance as a BUS?

[ny10570 745]

At one point Grumman made both the Ambulances for HHC and the Buses for transit. So teh city was buying "buses" for EMS.

[jack10562 414]

It's a NY Slang term.

Before that, they were called "meat wagons" which were run by funeral homes, since they were the only business who had horizontal transportation capabilities, and they did not run with trained attendants, like today.

[irishfire2491 24]

TAXI !!!!!!

[Oswegowind 17]

Been here...done this...

[Goose 188]

Does anyone know why NY city FFs refer to an ambulance as a BUS?

"Bus" is a term used by public safety in general across NY - at last in southern NY.

The two reasons - coming directly from the mouth of a FDNY Lt (fire, not EMS):

NYC*EMS (under health and hospitals, prior to the shift to FDNY) ambulances were manufactured by Grumman, the same company who manufactured NYC transit buses at the time.

The second reason...as trucks were enroute from a call to the hospital they would often pick up additional jobs that were along the route of travel to the ER the...thus making stops much like a transit bus.

Edited November 1, 2008 by Goose

[uvfd67 0]

It's a NY Slang term.

Before that, they were called "meat wagons" which were run by funeral homes, since they were the only business who had horizontal transportation capabilities, and they did not run with trained attendants, like today.

I kind of saw that as a conflict of interest. If I was sick or injured the last person I'd want there to rescue me would be the funeral home.

[Ging599 13]

When I was working for a certain EMS agency in Yonkers per diem while working at a funeral home full time, I had a transport for someone who had made pre-arrangements earlier in the day at the funeral home. I saw no conflict there and yes they made is there alive.

[mfkap 0]

TAXI !!!!!!

Not true... ya have to pay for a taxi, Medicaid pays for the ambulance.

[Guest paramedico987]

Not true... ya have to pay for a taxi, Medicaid pays for the ambulance.

Medicaid pays for the ambulance like a politician tells the truth... way less than half!