First Call vehicle
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The First Call Vehicle is a vehicle used in the funeral service industry. This type of vehicle is used to pick up the remains of a recently deceased person, and transport that person to the funeral home for preparation. This initial pickup is called the "first call", which is where the name of these vehicles come from. While some funeral homes will use their hearse for these initial pickups, having vehicles available for first calls and just using the hearse for funerals helps save wear and tear on that vehicle.
Usually the vehicles used for this purpose are minivans. In some cases, funeral homes purchase minivans that have been specially converted into first call vehicles by the same companies that produce hearses. In other cases, general purpose work minivans are purchased. These minivans do not have the rear seats installed. For example, on the A&E show Family Plots, the funeral home featured uses a plain white Chevy Astro type minivan for these pickups. When a regular work minivan is used, a metal deck is purchased and installed in the van. These metal decks are generally available from funeral supply companies, and are used to hold a stretcher or casket in place.