Development of an outreach vehicle for Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brulé, Andrew^{; *}

Affiliations: Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, 3644 Slocan St., Vancouver, British Columbia V5M 3E8, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 604 4341331; fax: + 1 604 4346509; e-mail: abrule@sunnyhill.bc.ca.

Abstract: The provision of specialized services in the community has necessitated the development of outreach vehicles for the services to be rendered. Determining the best type and design for the vehicle is critical for its success. Sunny Hill required a vehicle that would be capable of transporting professionals, equipment and supplies for a wide range of services to communities spread throughout the province of British Columbia. This vehicle was also required to provide an independent workspace, a comfortable working environment and independent power and heat at any location the services were needed. In order to meet these requirements Sunny Hill decided on a heavy duty truck frame long enough and sturdy enough to transport 4000 lbs of cargo, support an independent workspace, have an electrical system that could power all necessary equipment, provide lighting and heat in all types of environments and have two reasonably soundproof compartments capable of operating independently or in conjunction with one another. In designing the vehicle it is important to concentrate on the chassis first, the body second and interior last. The vehicle chosen was a 34-foot truck chassis with a GVW of 19 000 lbs and powered by a 7 liter Cummins diesel engine. Diesel was chosen for its durability and high power for operations in mountainous regions. Power for the workspace could be supplied by either a 10-kW diesel generator or two land-lines. The interior was specified to maintain a comfortable working environment in temperatures ranging from −20 to +30°C, be reasonably soundproof and conform to Barrier Free Design Codes (CAN/CSA-B651-M90). In obtaining quotes for the vehicle specifications, the performance of the equipment was specified rather than the actual equipment. This put the onus on the manufacturer to specify appropriate equipment as opposed to Sunny Hill specifying the actual equipment. The final cost of the fully outfitted Sunny Hill Outreach Vehicle was $145 000 (Cdn).

Keywords: Outreach, Service delivery, Design vehicle

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1997-7303

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 137-145, 1997