Driving an Ambulance

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nicolel3440

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MrBrown said:
Brown whole heartedly believes that driving is the most dangerous part of the job of an Ambulance Officer meaning they must be a thoroughly capable, skilled and professional driver.

Hardest part to overcome? The damn 40 hour logbook requirement, i.e. 40 hours of driving after passing the pre-course test and classroom/practical assessments before being allowed to take the practical assessment for p1 driving.

40 hours sure comes slow when its built in 10 and 15 minute blocks :D
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i wish that we got this kind of training or any training at all really. we had to take the evoc which is five min of driveing around a parking lot three times. And our ambulance com gave us no training or anything we were just expected to get in and go. I did an ambulance transport to philly today and i hated it cause i really dont have that much experiance driveing and there big city streets with a lot of one way streets and small lanes. It was awful.
 
EMT2B

EMT2B

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I was concerned about this too. Especially since I haven't driven any vehicle with any regularity since August 2009 when I was in an accident on my motorscooter. I have rented the occasional car in the mean time for certain things I needed, but they've all been very small (and therefore less expensive to rent) cars. Any tips?
 
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DesertMedic66

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The hardest part for me is going opposing. I was always taught to stay on the right side of the yellow lines. But when going code we are constantly to the left of the yellow lines.
 
firetender

firetender

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Every six months...

...gather the FNG's and a brand new ambulance in a parking lot. One by one, each Newbie (no one riding shotgun) drives the ambulance through drills; most of which should be in reverse. Familiarization with turning radius, slalom-type maneuvers, emergency braking (wet and dry) should all be done with the liberal use of traffic cones.

You've all heard this before but my only modification is that your fellow FNG's be the traffic cones.
 
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exodus

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firetender said:
...gather the FNG's and a brand new ambulance in a parking lot. One by one, each Newbie (no one riding shotgun) drives the ambulance through drills; most of which should be in reverse. Familiarization with turning radius, slalom-type maneuvers, emergency braking (wet and dry) should all be done with the liberal use of traffic cones.

You've all heard this before but my only modification is that your fellow FNG's be the traffic cones.
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The way my partner taught me was that she set a cell phone and keys on the flat section of the center console. If it slides around, there's too many g's.
 
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exodus

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ethorp

ethorp

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I went through police evoc wich was 12 hours behind the wheel and 4 in the class room. But when I started work all that was required of me was to drive around some cones and back up once. I think mu ch more training should be required. And that police evoc was not done for the ambulace it was for some thing else.
 
IAems

IAems

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Just remember that if your partner and patient are in the back you should be going as slow as is safe (in other words the speed limit, or no more than 10 mph faster if going Code). Read the road; when cars hit bumps in the road oil drips from the oil pan to the road and this happens over and over and over as multiple cars hit those bumps. The bigger the oil marks in the road, the bigger the bump that is coming, so as the driver you can know to slow down. Remember, we all want to get the patient to the hospital fast, but if your partner can't start a line or intubate or auscultate or even write a PCR because they're too busy bouncing off the walls, you might as well be a taxi cab. The Marine Corp has a saying, "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."B)
 
JPINFV

JPINFV

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What does the speed limit have to do with safe? Safe speed is safe, regardless of what the random number on some sign says.
 
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sop

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My concern is entering and exiting an interstate.
 
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jjesusfreak01

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JPINFV said:
What does the speed limit have to do with safe? Safe speed is safe, regardless of what the random number on some sign says.
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Agreed, half the time here the speed of traffic is 10 to 15 over. I wouldn't consider it unsafe to run 20 over on the highway with light traffic, so long as you're going a reasonable speed and people are aware of your presence long before you get to them.
 
Sasha

Sasha

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I wouldn't know, they don't even let me touch the steering wheel anymore.
 
TransportJockey

TransportJockey

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I don't drive often anymore, which is nice. I hate driving the damned bus, especially while running code. I'd much rather write all the reports and not have to drive.
 
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Handsome Robb

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IAems said:
or even write a PCR because they're too busy bouncing off the walls
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If your partner is writing a pcr the pt doesn't need to be ran code back to the hospital...either that or you need a new partner.
 
Sasha

Sasha

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TransportJockey said:
I don't drive often anymore, which is nice. I hate driving the damned bus, especially while running code. I'd much rather write all the reports and not have to drive.
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I'd kill to be able to drive again. Gosh, you hit one person in the cross walk and they act like you're dangerous.
 
TransportJockey

TransportJockey

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Sasha said:
I'd kill to be able to drive again. Gosh, you hit one person in the cross walk and they act like you're dangerous.
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Heh, one of the reasons they won't let me drive is having a competition with myself for how far I can send the hobo flying :p That and ya know, rolling an ambulance a few years back.
 
Sasha

Sasha

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TransportJockey said:
Heh, one of the reasons they won't let me drive is having a competition with myself for how far I can send the hobo flying :p That and ya know, rolling an ambulance a few years back.
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One advantage to not driving though, is I don't have to pay attention to the road when we are playing "Spot the hooker". (PS don't point.. if they're not a hooker and you're pointing and laughing they get upset.)
 
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lifesavingsob

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driving

emt seeking first job said:
What was the hardest part for you to overcome ?

For me it was the fact I can not look at the back, regardless of the curved mirrors and back-up camera. Also, I need to make wider right turns.

What were the hurdles, if any for you ?

Also, what do you see others do wrong ?

I see too many people follow too close, and sort of lump lights and siren with getting on everyone's tail, swerving around obstacles. Some people I see never get it that you can use lights and siren to clear a path, yet, keep a space cushion and give other vehicles a moment to get out of your way.
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Probably the hardest part for me was learning to drive smoothly with the medic in the back, while operating the lights/sirens, talking on the radio, eating, adjusting the music, and driving with my knee. I've gotten pretty good at it though...
 
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