The township EMS will soon have new ambulances in use that motorists will better be able to see, hear and feel coming during an emergency.

---- The EMS Wednesday received two new advanced life support ambulances that it hopes to have in service in three or four weeks.

---- The most striking thing about the new vehicles is that they are bright yellow with blue and red striping.

---- Director Jeff Kelly said the staff worked with Canadian company Demers Ambulances to design custom vehicles that will best serve the needs of the service and the public.

---- “We spent about 18 months designing these ambulances with the patient, provider and public safety in mind,” Kelly said.

---- The ambulances cost $160,000 each. They will replace two of the service’s older vehicles which were about seven years old and had around 125,000 miles.

---- The EMS operates a fleet of four ambulances and anticipates replacing its other two white ambulances within the next two years, Kelly said.

---- It has a rotation of three ambulances in service during the day and two after 11 p.m.

---- The yellow color is not yet common in Pennsylvania, but is becoming popular in Canada and other parts of the U.S. Studies have shown that it is the most visible color and also sticks out to people with colorblindness, Kelly said.

---- Being visible to motorists is very important for ambulances because they are so prone to accidents. There are about four ambulance accidents every day in Pennsylvania, he said.

---- The new ambulances also have Mercedes-Benz engines that are more fuel efficient and last longer.

---- Another feature that will make these vehicles unique in the region is their rumbler sirens which use a subwoofer to send out vibrations. The department decided to get the rumblers to better notify drivers of their presence on Interstate 79 and the Turnpike, where sirens are less effective.

---- An ambulance driving 60 mph can only project the sound of its siren about 12 feet, said paramedic crew chief Bill Humes. The vibrating siren can go much farther and can penetrate cars that have become increasingly soundproof.

---- Humes was in the back of an ambulance that was in an accident with a car in 2007 that left two men dead.

---- The design of the new ambulances is meant to not only prevent or minimize the effects of a crash, but also to keep the people inside as safe as possible, he said.

---- “It’s good to know I’m in the safest truck around,” Humes said.

---- In addition to the external features, the back of the ambulances were designed to keep medical supplies, equipment and people from moving around during a crash.

---- While the older ambulances had a bench seat with lap belts, the new ones have a swiveling chair with a full safety belt.