Nieuwe voertuigen VZA/Ambulance Amsterdam

[André Welten]

Maar zit het probleem in de speakers of in de electronische sirene-versterker?

[Moshi]

Hello!

Can someone tell me why are there ambulances in Amsterdam that are orange and white as opposed to rest of NL where there are only yellow ambulances?

Thank you!

[Surveillanceteam]

Sure, we can!

Actually there is nod difference except the colors. Amsterdam had their own style. We think orange is more visible, so it's saver. But the government don't like two different ambulances, because it should be recognizable to all citizens. Nowadays only yellow is allowed. Orange/white ambulances are not made anymore. We have just a few of these ambulance left.....

Amsterdam always want to be difference from others in Holland.

[Moshi]

So the same reason applies for them being VZA and not RAV? They just want to be different?  

[Dion]

For a long time there were two organisations responsible for the ambulances in Amsterdam, the GGD (Municipal Health Service) and VZA (United Medical Transport Amsterdam).
Since 2012 the Dutch government forbid the use of multiple ambulance services in one area, so the GGD and VZA merged into Ambulance Amsterdam, the organisation now responsible for all the ambulances in Amsterdam.

Because the ambulance care wasn't regulated on the nation level first, every region had it's own ambulances with their own style. Because of the aggregation of the 'gemeentepolitie' (Municipal police) and the 'rijkspolitie' (national police) in 1993, a national style, now know as BiZa/BZK striping, was designed for the police vehicles and, because of recognition, other emergency vehicles.
Most of the GGD ambulances adopted this new pattern. However, the VZA didn't like the new style and decided to keep their own, as it was better visible and thus safer to use. Somehow they managed to maintain their style until the merging of the GGD and VZA in 2012.

New ambulances are now only produces with the yellow color and BiZa/BZK striping. There are still a few white/orange VZA ambulances, but they will sadly disappear in the coming months.

[Moshi]

I don't know about the "sadly" part, I quite dislike the white and orange colour choise. Besides Euro yellow colour or RAL 1016 was found the safest to use by the European Committee for Standardisation.

But this is all still pretty confusing for me. On ambulancezorg.nl website why is there Amsterdam RAV joined with Zaanstreek-Waterland? Did this happen lately and why? As seen on their website http://www.ambulancezorg.nl/nederlands/pagina/1085/11-13-amsterdam-amstelland-zaanstreek-waterland.html.

And I guess some ambulance services are privately owned (like VZA and Witte Kruis?) and others are government owned (like RAV Brabant-Zuidoost and Ambulancedienst Zuid Holland Zuid)?


Also is hierarchy in Dutch health care system like this?:

VWS
  ^
  |
  |
GGD
  ^
  |
  |
RAV (ambulancedienst + meldkamer)

[Dion]

The Zaanstreek Waterland part is because Ambulance Amsterdam is also responsible for the ambulances in this region.
I agree it's all a little confusing, although I disagree on your opinion about the colors  

There are indeed also some private ambulance services, but most are part of a RAV / Veiligheidsregio.

And about the hierarchy, well there isn't quite any actually. It's just one service per region, so there's no need for any hierarchy.

[Moshi]

The Zaanstreek Waterland part is because Ambulance Amsterdam is also responsible for the ambulances in this region.

Why not just join these RAV regions into one then?  

And about the hierarchy, well there isn't quite any actually. It's just one service per region, so there's no need for any hierarchy.

That's interesting. I thought RAVs get money from GGD and GGD from Ministry/government? I know it's one service per region but all these services must answer to somebody, right? Is it not GGD?

[Dion]

Why not just join these RAV regions into one then?  


That's interesting. I thought RAVs get money from GGD and GGD from Ministry/government? I know it's one service per region but all these services must answer to somebody, right? Is it not GGD?

I'm not really into all the financial and administrative flows, but as far as I know it isn't the GGD. The GGD is a municipal health agency, a RAV usually covers more municipalities, so that doesn't sound very logical. I think the RAV's are directly 'under' the Minitry. But again, I'm not sure.

[Surveillanceteam]

13-343

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e4VaF7Qetw