Features / Ambulance
By an ambulance lover, for ambulance lovers
An anonymous ambulance worker has created an amusing world on Instagram for fellow ambulance lovers.
Blending their passion for ambulances and photography skills, Rapid Blues (RB) started photographing different Bristol ambulances in December 2023.
The page has ever since seen a growing interest, with over seven thousand people currently invested in RB’s ambulance fandom.
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Over a brief chat, RB told Bristol24/7: “Honestly, I didn’t expect it to take off like it has, but there’s clearly a much bigger community of ambulance enthusiasts out there than I thought!
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They continued: “It all started with a few casual shots of ambulances that I shared with friends and family. They loved them, so I thought, why not share them with more people?
“Turns out, combining these unique images with fun videos of ambulances really hit the mark.”
RB called themselves a faceless account, “hoping to create a strong community of ambulance fans across the world.”
Unlike RB and other ambulance-lovers for most of us, ambulances are ordinary. It was RB that explained the concept of types of ambulances.
They added: “Most people probably think all ambulances look the same, but I definitely see a difference. Personally, I prefer the “box ambulance” style over the van-style ones.
“There’s something classic about the box ambulances—they just have a cooler look in photos.”
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The Bristol Ambulance website explains the medical expertise behind each available fleet.
Ambulances according to the organisation can be Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) with equipment necessary for urgent care, EMS frontline ambulances that can handle critical care transfers, or HDU ambulances designed for more rigorous cases.
RB described their tryst with ambulances as a fascination: “I’m fascinated by the world of ambulances, and working in the service gives me a unique perspective.
“These photos capture little moments from my day-to-day job, and I love showing the essence of what we do in a way that’s a bit different from what people usually see.”
Featured in photography publications like the Digital Photographer, the Digital Camera Mag and Amateur Photographer, the anonymous and faceless ambulance worker personally prefers nigh-time images that are “dramatic and striking”.
They said: “I’m a big fan of night photography—there’s something about low-light conditions that makes the images more dramatic and striking.
“One of my favourite spots is around the Bristol Royal Infirmary because it has this bold urban vibe.
“And if I can include some of Bristol’s iconic graffiti in the shot, it adds even more character.
Main photo: Rapid Blues
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