M1070 HET in Emergency Vehicle Parade

[paradeduty]

Picked up the HET the other day and took it to the Emergency Vehicle Show and Parade in Ferndale, MI. It is held every year in conjunction with the Woodward Dream Cruise also held every year (huge cruise event w/ over 1,000,000 attendance - worth making it to see if you can sometime). First year for me participating in the EV Show, but I will be back. The HET was so big that they wanted me last in the parade. Everybody was amazed at its size - especially the little ones. Found a video on youtube of the parade. Obviously, the HET does not show up until 3:45 at the very end (some cars snuck in front of me as I didn't want to make them shorter). Heck of a time - I will be back.

YouTube link:
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=youtube+woodward+dream+cruise+2013+police+and+fire

 

[sigo]

I've only been near HET's in theater so there weren't any civiilan vehicles nearby... pretty sweet how your tires are taller than most of the sedans and some of the small trucks.

 

[quickfarms]

Now you need the trailer!

 

[WRMorrison]

I do believe that was the loudest parade I've ever seen... Love the HET...

Oh, and I noticed that Starsky and Hutch had matching cars.

-WRM

 

[swbradley1]

Now that was a funny parade and the end was the best part. I must be biased.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers, Adam 12, Squad 51, Starsky AND Hutch, Mayberry RFD and CHiPS. I hate sirens but that was quite cool.

 

[wheelspinner]

That was cool! They need recovery equipment to be in there too.....

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

That was great thanks! How much does one of your tires weigh? I might need to buy an HET just so I can justify a 936 wrecker to my wife.....

 

[TehTDK]

All those police cars was that former police cars that was mothballed and then brought out for events like this, or retired police vehicles in private ownership, but where the new owners got to keep the sirens and lights on the condition to only run the cars in these conditions? Or are most of them just "replicas" with permission to run lights and sirens for stuff like that?

 

[juanprado]

All those police cars was that former police cars that was mothballed and then brought out for events like this, or retired police vehicles in private ownership, but where the new owners got to keep the sirens and lights on the condition to only run the cars in these conditions? Or are most of them just "replicas" with permission to run lights and sirens for stuff like that?

I think all 3 scenarios are accurate with the last 2 being the majority.

 

[Ord22]

I love those Super Hets. When did you get? How is it to drive? Do you have clearance issues since its so tall? GREAT TRUCK!! Enjoy.

 

[319]

All those police cars was that former police cars that was mothballed and then brought out for events like this, or retired police vehicles in private ownership, but where the new owners got to keep the sirens and lights on the condition to only run the cars in these conditions? Or are most of them just "replicas" with permission to run lights and sirens for stuff like that?

Several of those are, or we're civilian cars turned into police cars. Once such car is the black Detroit PD wagon (1:39), Another is the blue striped Detroit "Tactical Mobile Unit" Dodge (3:20). Usually patrol cars are not mothballed, they're auctioned, kinda like MVs. On the other hand, fire apparatus sometimes is or was, but not so common anymore. When police vehicles are auctioned, emergency lights and sirens are not included, but they may still have some of the graphics on them, typically not though. A private citizen can purchase emergency lights and sirens as easy as buying a soda. Their public display and use is usually strictly enforced, especially in the Detroit area.
The roadster seen at 3:40 was obtained by Troy PD in a drug bust about 12-15 years ago. They added the lights and siren(s) and use it for public education, parades, and such.

 

[319]

The motor in the black wagon:

 

[Stalwart]

Do you get nosebleeds in that thing due to the extreme altitude?

 

[paradeduty]

Hey Stuart!!

Not yet, but it is a wierd feeling being able to look down into a full size (semi-trailer style) dump truck box! I know that the truck is supposed to be 12' 1" tall (not sure if that includes the strobe light), but I sure had the urge to duck when I went under a bridge that was stated at 13' 3". Reeellly close!

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I noticed a robocop car from the movie or a lookalike in there watching it again.

 

[HETvet]

From ground to the top of the "air conditioner" box on the roof of the truck is closer to 13'8". I'm not sure about other states, but I know that Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and California DOTs all us to run on civilian highways and roads that are approved by each state for our total weight. But we have fond that some over passes aren't the clearance height they are advertised as. On a mission from Fort Hood to San Antonio hauling a M1A1 Abrams and the second truck hauling a Bradley, we took off the air box on the roof going under an over pass on I35. Even on Fort hood we have specific roads and routes were authorized to travel on due to over head wires.