A step back to my first Apparatus

The first Emergency Vehicle I drove was a Chevrolet Step Van.  This unit carried the generator, a stokes basket, oxygen, Scott Airpacks, salvage covers, exhaust fans, the coffee pot, an air cascade system, and a rather large collection of other items the Department may need at an Emergency. It was in sense a carry all. 

Not actual unit

Being a Step Van it was not actually designed to carry everything it carried. The unit seemed to have been put together as best as could be done back in the day on a limited budget. The unit road down the road like a boat, bumps and lumps in the pavement would have you bobbing up and down a bit, and if you were responded to a call, corners gave you a reason to slow down as the vehicle felt a tad top heavy. The Stokes basket was suspended from the roof and held in place with two u hooks at the back and what could best be described as a modified pipe bracket bolted at one end which pivoted under the rail after you lifted the stokes then you set it into.

The stokes was also filled with backboards and straps. On one wall the airpacks were mounted on the opposite wall was a water vac. 

Needless to say there was usually a moment of interest on most trips when something would decide to leave it's designed storage area and hit the floor. There is nothing like driving along after a few corners, applying the brakes and having two oxygen bottles come rolling into the cab and bouncing off the seat mounts and engine compartment. You were always waiting for one of the valves to get snapped off and an ensuing missile launch.

I can say as a first vehicle for a new Emergency driver it was probably a good choice, it fit everywhere so it's size wasn't an issue, it was an automatic so there was no issue with having to deal with that. The firemen referred to it as the bread box.

I do remember responding with it to a structure fire in a four story brick taxpayer,(businesses street level, apartments above). We were told to expedite so we did just that, the access was down a hill, a sharp right, a hard left, then across a dirt parking lot which was all rolls, waves and ruts. Arriving at the rear of the building a Fire Captain came running over and stated he needed spare bottles to the back of the building. Having just run that obstacle course all the while listening to the noises, bangs, clanks, and clunks from the back of the van, I told him, "Good Luck", as I swung open both rear doors. The floor was a massed pile of everything that belonged somewhere else.

Just another day delivering bread.