In the war against the epidemic without gunpowder, the negative pressure ambulance is like "Noah's Ark"

Text | Jia Tianyu

Pictures | Source network

The sudden outbreak of new coronavirus pneumonia has brought about problems in the supply of medical supplies. Like masks, protective clothing and other medical supplies, negative pressure ambulances that function as "mobile rescue rooms" are also facing a big gap overnight.

In response, on January 24, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued an emergency production task for the first batch of 200 negative pressure ambulances nationwide, requiring some orders to be delivered on February 5. After receiving the task, 12 domestic commercial vehicle companies including Jiangling Ford, Beiqi Foton, and Yutong Bus took quick action and launched a "race against time" to build negative pressure ambulances to help the front line in the fight against the epidemic.

Behind this, Ford China teamed up with its joint venture in China, Jiangling Ford, to perform the most "brave" - ??in just three weeks, it delivered goods to the front lines of the epidemic, including Hubei. More than 100 negative pressure ambulances were installed, effectively preventing the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Negative pressure ambulance, a mobile "life cabin" on the front line of the epidemic battle

The outbreak of a new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic has made the originally little-known "negative pressure ambulance" and N95 anti-virus masks have become "Internet celebrities" discussed on social media. Since the new coronavirus pneumonia can be transmitted through droplets, contact and other means, ordinary ambulances can easily cause the leakage of virus gas and increase the risk of infection when transporting patients.

The negative pressure ambulance can block airborne transmission during patient transportation through technical means and only allows air to flow from outside the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle. The air in the vehicle is discharged outside the vehicle after being treated harmlessly. It is equivalent to a mobile isolation clinic. Therefore, negative pressure ambulances play a key role in the fight against the epidemic.

Although negative pressure ambulances are modified from ordinary ambulances, their production is not easy.

First of all, during the long Spring Festival holiday and the special period of the new crown epidemic, parts supply and personnel scheduling are a big problem. Due to the high cost and lower use frequency than ordinary ambulances, the manufacturer also has less inventory. Secondly, under normal conditions, the production cycle of negative pressure ambulances is about 30 days. However, in order to respond to the epidemic, the production cycle must be compressed by 2/3 or more, which is great for the manufacturer's system capabilities and response speed. test.

More importantly, the production threshold for negative pressure ambulances is not low. Its strict technical requirements and complex production processes and processes determine that it is difficult to improve as easily as other medical supplies. production capacity, but there are only a few domestic automobile manufacturers that truly master the core production technology of negative pressure ambulances. Jiangling Ford, a joint venture of Ford in China, is the largest ambulance manufacturer in China and one of the few companies that masters the core technology of producing negative pressure ambulances. .

When the SARS virus was raging in 2003, Jiangling Ford developed the country's first SARS Ford Transit ambulance specifically for the epidemic, and donated the first batch of 6 ambulances to nation. In 2010, the negative pressure ambulance technology independently developed by the company was the first in China to win the national utility model patent. Since then, Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances have participated in many battles against influenza epidemics, including H1N1 influenza.

It is worth mentioning that during this epidemic, with the co-operation and cooperation of Ford Global Headquarters, Ford China and its joint ventures in China, Jiangling was the first to respond to the production of negative pressure ambulances. car companies. At the same time, one week after receiving the mission, the first batch of Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances that were rushed to build arrived at the epidemic area and quickly joined the frontline battle against the epidemic.

From Huanggang to Detroit, Ford’s global battle against the epidemic is in action

Behind the mission, there are many unknown and touching stories hidden behind it.

On February 1, Wu Wei, a research and development engineer at Ford's U.S. headquarters, received a distress call from a classmate in his hometown of Huanggang, Hubei Province. It turns out that the local epidemic in Huanggang is serious, but the negative pressure ambulances that transfer infected patients are in emergency, which seriously hinders the effectiveness of the local health department in combating the epidemic. After learning that the company his old classmate worked for could produce this kind of special ambulance, the classmate made an international long-distance call to Wu Wei for help.

Wu Wei, who has been paying attention to the epidemic in his hometown, learned that Huanggang was in urgent need of negative pressure ambulances, and immediately sent a request for help to Ford China through colleagues at the headquarters, hoping to coordinate two negative pressure ambulances as soon as possible. Rush to the rescue of Huanggang.

At that time, in the Jiangling Special Vehicle Factory on the other side of the ocean, negative pressure ambulances were being produced nervously and orderly. "After we received a request for help from our colleagues at the U.S. headquarters, we quickly contacted Jiangling Ford. A global rescue operation that crossed national borders and time zones was launched rapidly on both sides of the Pacific." Ford Greater China Communications and Public Affairs*** Huo Jing, vice president of affairs, recalled to Che Yitiao that the epidemic situation was urgent and people's lives were at stake. In order to obtain these two negative pressure ambulances, overseas phone calls were racing against time.

After receiving the urgent request from Ford’s global headquarters, Ford China quickly began negotiation and deployment among all parties. After re-evaluating the factory's production capacity and progress, and negotiating with Wuhan to determine a timetable for donating ten negative pressure ambulances, it was decided to give priority to the two rush-produced ambulances to Huanggang. On February 4, two Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances successfully arrived at Huanggang Central Hospital in Hubei Province and quickly entered the front line of the fight against the epidemic.

In just three days, two urgently needed Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances arrived at the front line of Huanggang’s battle against the epidemic like magic. Such efficient operations greatly benefited Wu Wei’s classmates. Feeling shocked. Behind the precise rescue of these two Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances in Huanggang are the efforts of Ford Global Headquarters and Ford China to support Hubei's fight against the epidemic. It is also the result of countless ordinary people staying at their posts sleepless nights and working hard on the front line of production to race against the virus.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Ford China has been paying attention to the development of the situation, and immediately donated medical supplies worth 1 million yuan and 10 vehicles worth 5 million yuan together with the headquarters *** Ford Transit modified negative pressure monitoring ambulance. Under the active scheduling of Ford China, the Jiangling factory began to prepare production materials on January 22 (the 28th day of the Lunar New Year) and gradually started production. From the 30th day of the Lunar New Year to the present, the factory has been working hard to provide assistance. The front line of anti-epidemic action.

The rush to produce more than 100 negative pressure ambulances in three weeks, the heroes behind the scenes are worth remembering

In the atmosphere of great love and unity in fighting the epidemic, things that were originally impossible turned out to be miraculous Generally realized.

The original production cycle of negative pressure ambulances was 30 days per unit. In this sniper war against the new coronavirus epidemic, the production cycle has been compressed to an unimaginable extent. According to statistics, in just the past three weeks, Ford's joint venture factories in China have delivered more than 100 negative pressure ambulances to the front lines of the country's fight against the epidemic.

“If the workpiece is delivered earlier, the ambulance can reach the epidemic area one day earlier, medical staff can be more comprehensively protected, and patients can be treated in a more timely manner. This is a race against death. There is no delay. "Li Yong, a mold design technician at Jiangling Ford Factory who has been working overtime for many days and spent the Spring Festival in the factory, told Che Yitiao.

At 17:00 on February 2, after working for 32 consecutive hours, Li Yong suddenly received an urgent task of programming and debugging laser cutting of batch workpieces before leaving get off work. He turned on the computer without hesitation and started programming, debugging, and processing skillfully... Another all-nighter passed, and Li Yong's red eyes shone with excitement as he watched the workpieces be delivered on time.

“My job is very ordinary, and I never thought that one day I would be able to do such meaningful things.” Li Yong said. In JMC Ford, there are many people like Li Yong who stick to ordinary positions.

In order to ensure the timely delivery of parts with high quality and quantity, Yin Fang, an engineer from the project development department of Jiangling Intelligent Equipment Center, rides an electric bicycle 40 kilometers back and forth to and from get off work every day starting from the first day of the new year. During the day, he coordinates production and discusses Technical plan, develop process flow and quality control plan in the evening. Li Baoguo, who was in charge of interior decoration, hurriedly returned to work after settling his family in his hometown. He worked multiple jobs to make up for the shortage of manpower and ensure the delivery progress.

In order to do his part for the country’s fight against the epidemic, although his wife was eight months pregnant, mold design engineer Wan Shuai still took the initiative to volunteer and has been at the company since New Year’s Eve. Production line. Yin Yiwu, the leader of the second shift of the general assembly interior department, who had the same idea, also postponed his wedding, returned to work as soon as possible, and joined the team that was rushing to make a Ford Transit ambulance.

It was the silent dedication of such a group of ordinary people that enabled Ford to take the lead in sending 22 Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances to Hubei, where the epidemic was severely affected, 12 days after receiving the mission. A behind-the-scenes hero who deserves to be remembered for his efficient fight against the epidemic.

On February 1, Jiangling Ford took the lead in delivering two Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances to Wuhan’s “Huoshenshan” Hospital for patient transport, becoming the first negative pressure ambulances in the country to be delivered to the epidemic area. On February 3, 18 Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances arrived in Wuhan, including 10 donated negative pressure ambulances. In addition to the two Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances delivered to Huanggang City, Hubei Province on February 4, a total of 22 Ford Transit negative pressure ambulances rushed to the front line of the fight against the epidemic in four days.

So far, Jiangling *** has received orders for more than 3,000 ambulances. The time is tight and the task is heavy, but Ford China and Jiangling Ford executives have issued strict orders to the factory: No matter how tight the time is and how heavy the task is, the quality of parts and production must be strictly ensured, and an unqualified product must never be delivered to the battlefield. In the hands of the medical staff on the front lines of the epidemic who bravely "retrograde" to save lives.

The global linkage and close cooperation between Ford's global headquarters, Ford China and its joint ventures in China have once again proved a truth - love knows no borders. With the full support from all over the world, I believe that victory in this battle against the epidemic will come soon.

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.