I saw a mass casualty/traumatic event ambulance today in Hutto... (Austin: house, camp)

[love roses]

I've never seen one before in my life. I was sitting at the Intersection of 685 and 79 and this huge bus that had been converted into an ambulance, turned the corner. On the side it said "Mass Casualty/Traumatic Event Ambulance". I told my husband about it and he thought it was odd, but didn't say much else. I told my sister on Facebook, and also posted about it, and she said that she heard that FEMA had ordered a whole lot of MRE's for Austin. Is this because Austin is still a target for a terror attack? The attack that was supposed to be on a Friday a few weeks ago on 6th street never happened, but I remember the newsleak saying that if it didn't happen then, that they would try again on the 29th. Maybe I'm just being alarmist, but seeing that in little ole' Hutto certainly raised my "antennae".

[love roses]

I googled it and found a company called Sartin Services that produces them. They say there are less than 100 of them in the US currently, and the article I read says that Palestine, Tx also has one. They had to bid for it and it is bid for by local hospitals, so I wonder if Austin bid for one, or Williamson County did?

[centralaustinite]

Brakenridge Hospital (I misspelled that, sorry) is a level IV trauma center for a 21 county area, so that might be who ordered it.

Doesn't make me worry, makes me feel secure. I like to know that local authorities are ready for anything.

[love roses]

That's sort of what my sister just posted back to me on Facebook. She said maybe Austin is just trying to be prepared "Just in case". Better safe than sorry, I suppose I laughed because she said "Why would Hutto be a target? We can't even get a grocery store".

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

I heard the siren; it was an unusual sound. Perhaps it was an exercise of some sort. Years ago I recall seeing a van that had a huge HELP sign on the sides of it. When I got closer I saw there was a bed in it with an IV set up. Never did figure out what the heck that was. I always think it's odd when I see a civilian vehicle turned into an emergency one.

[centralaustinite]

Don't worry about terrorists, think pipeline explosion, train derailment (carrying oil, perhaps), bridge collapse, loss of containment at a nuclear plant, power plant, chemical refining, plane crash, etc.

It was likely part of a training exercise.

[love roses]

There are pictures of them on google images. I read that they are made specifically for that purpose, with a special ramp for loading and unloading. They are for determining who may need to go to the hospital or who can just be treated on site. Yes, the sirens sound really strange. A train derailment could be relevant here. We've already had a few train/car wrecks here already in the last few years. A friend of mine's husband said if anyone tried something here, they wouldn't last long, since Texans wouldn't be too likely to let them get away with it. I'm sure he was also referring to armed citizens.

[Trainwreck20]

They mentioned on the news last week there was some big training thin in the Austin area

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Years ago I recall seeing a van that had a huge HELP sign on the sides of it. When I got closer I saw there was a bed in it with an IV set up. Never did figure out what the heck that was.

The film crew was probably having lunch when you came by...

[Decidigi]

I saw it at the open house at Camp Mabry in April. If I remember correctly it's got something like 20 beds in it.

KXAN - Bus ambulance to help in major events | KXAN.com