EMERGENCY TRUCK WITH FLOODLIGHTS

CD1963002 E&MP18.001

Electric Flood Lighting

June 20, 1941

The first of a fleet of new streamlined police emergency trucks for the City of New York seen in action, with its floodlights illuminating a church steeple.

The truck is equipped with four 100-watt and two 200-watt floodlights developed by General Electric engineers.

Two of these floodlights are seen in action at the top and near the front of the truck.

These are mounted on an elevator which may be raised or lowered by motor drive which is controlled through a push-button in the cab.

The remaining lights are stored away in side compartments of the truck where they are easily obtainable when needed.

A live circuit cable reel, containing 250' of wire, is mounted in one of the side compartments.

There is also a Siamese connection and a number of short lengths of cable so that, if desired, a complete battery of lights may be operated at a considerable distance from the truck.

Electrical energy is obtained from a 10 KW generator, mounted in the chassis and driven from a transmission by means of a propeller shaft with universal joints.

The voltage on this generator is kept constant from no-load to full-load through the combined use of a voltage regulator and engine governor.

The governor my be disengaged when the truck is being driven long the road.

This car is equipped with a short wave receiving set and had generous storage spaces for rescue equipment and other material and apparatus usually found on a police emergency car.

Since the body is enclosed, this car may, in an emergency, also be used as an ambulance.

This closed vehicle is intended to supersede the existing open type of emergency car and it is anticipated that further equipment of the same character will be ordered in the near future, since the Police Department has expressed satisfaction with the design. 

Original Caption by Science Service
^©General Electric