THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON REPORTS OF ALTERNATOR FAILURES OCCURRING ON AMBULANCES.ORIGINALLY THE FAILURES WERE THOUGHT TO OCCUR WHEN THE ALTERNATOR CASE BOLT WOULD FRACTURE AND BACK OUT INTO THE FAN.INFORMATION DEVELOPED DURING THE PE INDICATES THAT SOME FANS ARE SIMPLY FAILING ON THEIR OWN.DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ALTERNATOR MANUFACTURER INDICATE THAT THE ALTERNATORS INVOLVED WERE DESIGNED FOR A DIESEL POWERED APPLICATION.ALL KNOWN FAILURES HAVE OCCURED ON GAS POWERED APPLICATIONS.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ALL GAS POWERED VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT ALTERNATORS.EACH SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE FAILURE AND SOME HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES.THE OFFICE HAS COMMUNICATED WITH THE ALTERNATOR MANUFACTURER IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE AN APPROPRIATE ALTERNATOR FOR THE GAS ENGINE APPLICATION.ODI WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE APPROPRIATE ALTERNATOR TO BE UTILIZED ON AMBULANCES.ODI IS CONCERNED ABOUT FAILING ALTERNATORS ON AMBULANCES BECAUSE THE VEHICLES BECOME DISABLED AND THEREFORE THE SAFEY OF PATIENTS BEING TRANSPORTED OR AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE AMBULANCE MAY BE IMPACTED.