# Alabama Ambulance Service Requires Helmets for Employees



## Tigger (May 6, 2013)

From JEMS:



> Not only is CEO Bryan Gibson ensuring the best services to the community; he's taking the extra step to help protect his employees on the job - requiring them to wear helmets.
> 
> "The back of an ambulance is an unsafe place. We're driving high rates of speed through red lights and stop signs," said Gibson. "Hopefully they stop and they should, but things happen and sometimes people don't see us and we get hit."
> 
> SAS is one of the first departments in the country to require their employees to wear helmets while responding to emergencies.



Summit County Ambulance also issued their employees helmets, but I am not sure if they are used in the back, they are not when driving.

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100109/NEWS/100109803


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## rwik123 (May 6, 2013)

I think the solution should be effective restraints and track moving seats rather than goofy helmets.


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## Arovetli (May 6, 2013)

That guy who runs the service there has expanded his operations to other parts of the state. Goofy helmet gets worn at all times in the truck.


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## Tigger (May 6, 2013)

rwik123 said:


> I think the solution should be effective restraints and track moving seats rather than goofy helmets.



Worked in a truck with a track moving seat in the middle of the bench. It was great, though I did not start an IV or anything, it puts you at the right distance to the patient. That said there are some that believe that 5/6 point harnesses are worthless on side facing seats. I'd like it we could rotate ours to further when not needed.

I'd also like helmets, though for working on scene. Somehow I think the ATV helmets we have would look silly at a traffic accident. I'd worry that helmets might create a false sense of security among providers in back. Being strapped in is far more important.


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## RocketMedic (May 6, 2013)

Or you could stop driving through red lights and stop signs...

On a serious note, I do think that this is coming from the right place, and properly implemented, may protect employees somewhat. Having been knocked across the inside of an MRAP without a helmet, I can safely say I wish I had been wearing it. Heck of a concussion.


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## STXmedic (May 6, 2013)

Tigger said:


> Worked in a truck with a track moving seat in the middle of the bench. It was great, though I did not start an IV or anything, it puts you at the right distance to the patient. That said there are some that believe that 5/6 point harnesses are worthless on side facing seats. I'd like it we could rotate ours to further when not needed.



At my PT job, the new ambulances we're getting in the next month or two got rid of the bench seat. In its place will be two forward locking seats with 5pt harnesses, that can be swiveled sideways temporarily if needed. There won't be any side-facing seats in the back.


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## Tigger (May 6, 2013)

PoeticInjustice said:


> At my PT job, the new ambulances we're getting in the next month or two got rid of the bench seat. In its place will be two forward locking seats with 5pt harnesses, that can be swiveled sideways temporarily if needed. There won't be any side-facing seats in the back.



This is what we have. 






This is what I want, and I think we may get next year. We had five point bench restraints in 2007 so I am hoping we stay with the program.


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## STXmedic (May 6, 2013)

I'd assume that's what we'll be getting, or something very close. I haven't gotten a chance to see what ours will look like yet.


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## shfd739 (May 6, 2013)

PoeticInjustice said:


> At my PT job, the new ambulances we're getting in the next month or two got rid of the bench seat. In its place will be two forward locking seats with 5pt harnesses, that can be swiveled sideways temporarily if needed. There won't be any side-facing seats in the back.



Is that blue/yellow paint scheme place lol?

Im curious to see those. Id love to have that setup but there's this whole 40 years of tradition, dinosaurs making the decisions crap in the way.


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## STXmedic (May 6, 2013)

shfd739 said:


> Is that blue/yellow paint scheme place lol?


Haha yup, that's the one  Our EMS Director is huge on crew safety, and is constantly trying to evaluate and find safer ways to operate.


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## Aidey (May 6, 2013)

Here are my concerns about helmets, every place I've ever worked requires that women wear their hair back. I've never had any luck wearing a helmet with the pony tail or a bun.


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## STXmedic (May 6, 2013)

Aidey said:


> Here are my concerns about helmets, every place I've ever worked requires that women wear their hair back. I've never had any luck wearing a helmet with the pony tail or a bun.



Looks like somebody's going to need a haircut  :lol:


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## Fish (May 6, 2013)

Tigger said:


> This is what we have.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How do you like these?


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## Aidey (May 6, 2013)

My issue with that style is that you can't really take 2 patients. I find it a huge waste of resources when you have 2 easily manageable pts on scene, and have to call 2 separate ambs for them. Unless there is some transformer-esque feature I'm missing.


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## Fish (May 6, 2013)

Aidey said:


> My issue with that style is that you can't really take 2 patients. I find it a huge waste of resources when you have 2 easily manageable pts on scene, and have to call 2 separate ambs for them. Unless there is some transformer-esque feature I'm missing.



Ah, this is a good point. have ya'll run into issues with this? What was the adaptation that took place to make up for this?


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## chaz90 (May 6, 2013)

Fish said:


> Ah, this is a good point. have ya'll run into issues with this? What was the adaptation that took place to make up for this?



I have a friend who custom designed a Sprinter set up for my old service like this. Typically, we would have access from front facing seats on both sides of the stretcher. On calls with two patients, the drivers side seat would fold back and use the cabinet top to fit one patient laying down. Wasn't pretty, but would work in a pinch. Interior looked very similar to this picture. I'll try to find a pic of the outside, but it was a Sprinter 3500 chassis with a box on the back.


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## Tigger (May 6, 2013)

chaz90 said:


> I have a friend who custom designed a Sprinter set up for my old service like this. Typically, we would have access from front facing seats on both sides of the stretcher. On calls with two patients, the drivers side seat would fold back and use the cabinet top to fit one patient laying down. Wasn't pretty, but would work in a pinch. Interior looked very similar to this picture. I'll try to find a pic of the outside, but it was a Sprinter 3500 chassis with a box on the back.



This is how I have seen it setup as well. My old place had two Demers setup like that and they took two patients a fair amount.


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## chaz90 (May 6, 2013)

Also, I can't help but picture Johnny and Roy with this helmet scenario. Helmets on, seatbelts off, saving lives!


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## DrParasite (May 9, 2013)

it's not that new of a concept....


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## VFlutter (May 10, 2013)

I would rock a Gallet F1. Stormtrooper Medic


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## CANDawg (May 11, 2013)

Yes, because as a patient I am going to be super comforted by my EMS team's driving skills when they show up in helmets. 

Plus, wasn't there talk of trying to gain respect for the profession? For some reason I can't see how showing up to a chest pain call in a helmet is really going to help that cause.


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## Handsome Robb (May 11, 2013)

albertaEMS said:


> Yes, because as a patient I am going to be super comforted by my EMS team's driving skills when they show up in helmets.
> 
> Plus, wasn't there talk of trying to gain respect for the profession? For some reason I can't see how showing up to a chest pain call in a helmet is really going to help that cause.



Take the helmet off before you go in the house...

While its a bit out there I don't see why it would be an issue with the patients. "Our company requires us to wear helmets during transport due to us not being restrained and the many surfaces for potential head-strikes due to sudden accelerations, direction changes or decelerations while we care for you, my partner is an excellent driver "

We where helmets on traffic accidents. Construction workers wear helmets all the time, ever seen a motor cop running around on scene with their space balls style helmet? I don't see how us wearing helmets has any bearing on how we're viewed as far as a profession...that's a little ridiculous.

I don't think this is the best solution, far from it, but frankly I tired of reading about LODDs so if it helps even save one life all I'm for it.


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## All Ryle Dup (May 20, 2013)

Duh.... Take it off when it's not necessary. If the scene calls for helmet, I doubt your pt is gonna care or even notice.


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