CRU Trunk proves practical for London Ambulance Service

by Tom Lynch
IPMBA Industry Relations Committee
London Ambulance Service Cycle Response Unit
London, England

The London Ambulance Service has a dedicated Emergency Cycle Response Unit (CRU) that has access to all National Health Service (NHS) suppliers and agents of the Crown. The suppliers used by the CRU have gone through a strict vetting procedure and tendering process, and we provided criteria to several suppliers for the development of our panniers. The company whose product is described in this article, Openhouse Products, have shown outstanding commitment to the development of cycle-specific medical pannier bags. There were no development costs charged to our service. This product development has taken one year and we believe it will get even better, as there are some exciting developments in the pipeline.

Product Development

The term "pannier bag" is used loosely, as this product takes the form of one bag or box, known as the CRU Trunk. The idea of coming away from traditional bags was met with some resistance by the CRU team, but we could not go on any longer as we had broken a number of bags; to be fair, we now expected them to do a lot more than we did at the beginning. Before getting started on the product development process, we all agreed that there would be some 'user criteria' set because we needed a product that:
· Identified our bikes as emergency vehicles
· Protected the scene of an emergency call
· Stood out as a road user from all angles
· Could accommodate lights
· Was durable enough for a max. load of 50lbs and equalised the weight carried for balance (the 'weight factor')
· Limited cross infection
· Was flame retardant and waterproof
· Separated medical supplies from personal items (clothing, food, etc.)
· Took rider positioning and rack attachment into account
· Had separate 'grab bags' to work from while leaving the main bag attached to bike
· Had separate map/paperwork area

With the information supplied, the prototypes were made; all trials took place on operational bikes, which led us to third generation stage. At the same time, we were working with Carradice (www.carradice.co.uk) to develop front pannier bags with bulbar, which cost approximately £50. This setup allows us to carry additional clothing and tools with no loss of control, and balances out the bike when on the kickstand (centre or rear-mount).

The Operational Product

The CRU Trunk is made from High Ten style Support Nylon which is polished, lacquered, and has flame-retardant, antibacterial/antifungal properties in the fabric. It has been marked up with our livery and has webbing (with reflective strip stitched in) attached for lights; this area offers extra protection for lights and reduces theft. Reflective markings and the yellow fluorescent colour make us more visible day and night. The 'weight factor' was taken into account, which resulted (from University research) in a supporting plastic/alloy frame insert. The positioning of the trunk was moved up higher to allow the rider to regain the feeling of one person riding instead of the wobbly feeling of towing a passenger.

There are four compartments:
1. Main trunk to accommodate one slim grab bag slotted down each side, and with space on top for a defibrillator (weight factor solved). The Trunk is attached to the rack by two wing-nut bolts (universal attachment being developed); two six mm holes have been drilled in the heavy duty titanium rack. The Trunk is also secured to the rack with full-length, heavy-duty velcro fastenings.
2. Document pouch, an A4-size envelope space for action cards and other paperwork. This is located inside the top flap and has a Velcro opening.
3. Storm flap, located on top of trunk. This opens a see-through clear pocket map holder, has room for all paperwork, and serves as a good desktop in the field.
4. Personal storage, a half-moon shaped, under-seat storage area for food, additional clothing, etc.

These features have come about from trying out the various prototypes in the field whilst doing the job; they are all recommendations from the team. We have assisted in the development of our own product, it does what we want, and we regard this project as a great development partnership. If you look back at our 'user criteria' we have achieved this and more.

Likes and Dislikes
· We don't like it because it looks cumbersome.
· We do like it because it meets all our needs.

Manufacturer Information

The panniers are available through Openhouse Products, PO Box 447, Halifax HX4 OYS. Phone +44 (0) 1422 824777; email openh@globalnet.co.uk; website www.openhouseproducts.com. The cost is approximately £300-350 per unit.

Tom Lynch is the Co-ordinator (EMT) for the award-winning London Ambulance Service Cycle Response Unit. He has ten years EMS experience, including six years on the EMS Cycle Team. He has twenty years experience in International Championship Level BMX racing and is a cycle coach for mountain biking, road, and track racing. Tom can be reached at tom.lynch@lond-amb.nhs.uk.

© 2004 IPMBA. This review first appeared in the Winter 2004 issue of IPMBA News.