EMS professionals make longest journey by ambulance across America in vintage vehicle

Over 50 years ago, this 1972 Cadillac Ambulance was in service in California, providing its services to a very different world. 

But last month, a combined team from Symbiosis Ambulance and Axene Continuing Education – ambulatory and emergency medical service organizations – took the gorgeous car out on a legendary road trip, driving the vintage vehicle from Hollywood, California to Hollywood, Florida, to claim the title for longest journey by ambulance.

And all the while, the licensed EMS professionals on board would stop to talk with interested passersby about the importance of quality healthcare, the history of emergency medical services in the United States, and all the wonderful sights they saw on their trip.

The ambulance was manned by Dr Erik Axene, along with Symbiosis PR Coordinator Jacqueline Grange and Operations Manager Michael Mclean, both licensed EMTs (and all USA). They were followed by a support team escort in two cars and a newer ambulance, filled with staff from both organizations, including Symbiosis founder Dr Jeff Grange and nurse practitioner Dawn Downs. So despite the ambulance’s age – when surrounded by that many medical professionals, that car was probably the safest place to be!

When all was said and done, they would travel 5,203 km (3,233 miles) in 10 days, through California, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

They started their journey on 1 March under the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California, where the fully-licensed ambulance is the oldest operating registered emergency vehicle in the state. 

They then worked their way southeast, through Arizona, where they had to make a quick emergency pit stop after a safety demonstration to get their power steering fixed.

Luckily, they were able to find a local mechanic to get them back on track.

Their 10-day journey took them next to the American southwest, through New Mexico and Texas – where they encountered a dust storm! Luckily, they were able to refuel (the team, not the ambulance) on waffles, before pulling out and heading towards Florida.

They passed through miles of dry grasslands and rocky hills, stopping only to teach people about their services or to flash the lights on the ambulance, which many passersby thought looked like the car from Ghostbusters.

And they also got to see some fun sides of America – such as catching and releasing wild alligators, eating diner food in the shape of the state of Texas, and stopping at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Upon arrival in Florida, they were met by heavy rain – making the ambulance nice and shiny for their final stop at the Hollywood Fire Rescue Training facility, where they were met with a round of applause and a surprise by the Fire Chief, his squad, and officials and media from the city.

There, the team happily accepted their certificates from Guinness World Records Adjudicator Brittany Dunn, and took smiling photos next to their trusty ambulance.

“As EMS educators, it is an honour to share this achievement with our dedicated first-responder colleagues across the nation,” said Dr Axene, commenting that this coast-to-coast trek will certainly provide exciting new content for their EMS continuing education programmes.

Dr Grange was in agreement, saying: “It was an amazing adventure to see our great country and meet so many amazing people as we crossed the southern US from Hollywood, CA to Hollywood, FL.”

Afterwards, the firefighters were led in one last EMS class by Dr Axene, on detecting Occlusive Myocardial Infarctions (heart attacks) that don't show on traditional ECGs. The classes provided by Symbiosis and Axene were based on the newest health information, and aims to help first responders be better able to identify immediate cardiac emergencies that don’t follow typical patterns. 

The firefighters took away new diagnostic skills, and appreciated all the effort the EMS team made to make medicine engaging. Once all the services were provided, the firefighters offered them a tour of the station, where they were able to trade safety techniques and celebrate each other’s hard work.

So here’s to these first-responders, who are bringing life back to the highway.