March 31, 2026
Across the country, emergency crews show up to different streets, different conditions and different challenges but the work is always the same. Be ready. Act fast. Protect lives.
In eastern Pennsylvania, that work belongs to the City of Allentown Paramedics. Serving more than 125,000 residents and responding to roughly 20,000 emergency calls each year, their teams rely on vehicles that can keep up with unpredictable, high-stakes situations without slowing them down or getting in the way.
"We have to be efficient. When I show up on a call, I don't have time to think and go find something. I need to open a cabinet, pull it out and put it in service."
- Matthew Brett, Assistant Chief of EMS - 3rd Platoon, City of Allentown
More Than a Work Truck
Like many departments across the U.S., Allentown Paramedics operate more than just ambulances. Certain calls demand vehicles designed for coordination, backup and adaptability in complex scenes.
That’s where the EMS Command Truck comes in — a mobile operations and equipment hub dispatched for:
- On-site EMS coordination
- Backup medical support
- Technical rescues
- Natural disasters
- Hazardous scenes
- Mass casualty incidents
It’s a truck built for moments where coordination and speed are critical.
Built for the Job
The EMS Command Truck features a custom Knapheide service body mounted on a Ford commercial truck chassis cab. Knapheide engineered and manufactured the body, with upfitting completed by Levan Machine and Truck Equipment.
Key features include:
- Fully enclosed service body
- Side compartments with integrated shelving
- Roll-up and hinged doors
- Truck bed drawer system
- Secure cargo stowing and locking
- Interior, emergency and scene lighting
- On-board power supply
Everything has a place. Everything stays put. And everything is designed to be accessed quickly, because hesitation costs time and every second matters.
A Smarter Setup for Real Emergencies
Assistant Chief Brett worked closely with Frank Blatt, an inside sales representative at Levan Machine and Truck Equipment, to define what the vehicle truly needed to do: who would be on board, what equipment had to be accessible and how the truck would be used in high-pressure environments. The team determined that a standard service truck would not meet their operational requirements. Knapheide stepped in to engineer a custom solution that ultimately became the Allentown Paramedics’ EMS Command Truck.
“We’ve had this truck in service for six months. It’s probably been on over a thousand calls in that time and we’re really happy with the functionality and how it’s turned out for us,” Brett said.
Before the upgrade, the team relied on pickup trucks with slide-out beds. Equipment wasn’t securely mounted, gear could shift or fall out and access slowed them down when it mattered most. The new setup eliminates those problems, keeping tools secure, organized and easy to grab, so paramedics can focus on the work.
Built for Work Like This, Coast-to-Coast
From large cities to smaller communities, emergency teams across the country rely on work trucks built around the realities of their jobs, not one-size-fits-most solutions.
The Allentown EMS Command Truck is one example of how purpose-built work vehicle solutions help crews stay ready when it matters most.
TO SEE HOW ENCLOSED SERVICE BODIES SUPPORT EMERGENCY RESPONSE, MUNICIPAL AND VOCATIONAL APPLICATIONS, EXPLORE KNAPHEIDE’S BODY SOLUTIONS.
Watch the Allentown Paramedics Story
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