# Do you do the cleaning?



## MMiz (May 17, 2004)

When I first started we had a supply tech that would clean and stock the rigs.  He would also inventory them and make sure everything was just right.  After both quit the company decided that they would just have us do it.

We are supposed to check oil and fluids.  We have a checklist of things to go over before we leave the garage.  When we return we are expected to wash the rig, re-stock it, and then park it out back.

I'm wondering who does this in your company?  Washing it really isn't a big deal, but actually doing inventory every time gets to be a pain.  I notice that we have a ton of some stuff, and are completely missing other things.  This is where a supply tech helped out, they would tag the different compartments, and we would only re-inventory what tags were broken at the end of the shift.  As the supply techs quit, this practice ended, and now some crews take better care of their trucks than others.

Does your company/department have any policy?


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## SafetyPro2 (May 17, 2004)

We do it ourselves at a couple different levels.

Whenever you take the ambulance from someone else (typically the 6 AM and 6 PM shift changes), you're supposed to do a quick check. Open the trauma box, O2 kit, intubation bag, etc. and make sure everything's there. The AED gets it's batteries changed (spare to unit, unit to charger, charger to spare) and a diagnostic run with the strip put in a box in our dispatch area. Also, do a quick walk-around of the ambulance looking for any problems (low tires, leaks, body damage, etc.).

If there's a call, the person staffing the ambulance restocks the portable equipment from either the spares on the ambulance or at the station. Generally, before we even leave the hospital, we change the O2 bottle with the spare (if needed) and replenish the trauma box. If the O2 bottle does get replaced or we're running low on supplies, whomever has the ambulance goes back to the station after the call and replenishes.

Every weekend, as part of our station maintenance, the ambulance gets a thorough check-out. Full inventory of all supplies and equipment on-board as well as a full mechanical check.


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## ffemt8978 (Jun 4, 2004)

We're a volunteer department, so we've never had the luxury of a supply tech.  What we do is attach a checklist to our street forms that we're required to complete at the end of each call.  Basically, it walks you through checking all of your critical equipment and reminds you to check the stuff you used but isn't on the checklist.  Once your done with the checklist, you can re-seal your jump kits so the next crew knows that everything that is supposed to be there is there.

The driver has a seperate checklist for the ambulance itself, and includes things like washing it, checking lights, and fluid levels.


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## MMiz (Jun 4, 2004)

> _Originally posted by ffemt8978_@Jun 4 2004, 12:25 AM
> * We're a volunteer department, so we've never had the luxury of a supply tech.  What we do is attach a checklist to our street forms that we're required to complete at the end of each call.  Basically, it walks you through checking all of your critical equipment and reminds you to check the stuff you used but isn't on the checklist.  Once your done with the checklist, you can re-seal your jump kits so the next crew knows that everything that is supposed to be there is there.
> 
> The driver has a seperate checklist for the ambulance itself, and includes things like washing it, checking lights, and fluid levels. *


 But do you actually do all that stuff?

Here's my concern.  We're a private company, and we are stationed around the county in parking lots and street corners.  As soon as I arrive I call dispatch and let them know I'm there.  Then I have to do an entire checklist, check oil levels, lights, computers, radios, and the entire back of the ambulance.  We have about 25 or so, so it's important to check.  All of this is ideally supposed to happen in 15 minutes, but of course that's not how it works.

To do the job right, it usually takes 45 minutes.  We move the ambulance from the parking sport to the garage area.  Then we have to go through our clipboards and make sure we have enough of the 10 or so forms we'll need for the shift.  The worst part is going through the entire list and the equipment in the back.  Since we dont have techs anymore, we literally have to do the whole thing.  There are always a few items that aren't there, so of course I have to search around for them and whatnot.

It's just frustrating.

Then when we get back we scrub the truck, wash it, re-stock, sweep, and mop, then put the truck back in its spot.  If it's a busy day I usually have a few runs to complete (I'm horrible at getting them done during the transport).

Okay, enough venting.  I guess it's all part of the job.  It was just easier when we just had to drop our trucks off at the end of the shift, and the supply tech would do all of that for us.  Those were the days.... those were the days.


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## ffemt8978 (Jun 4, 2004)

> _Originally posted by MMiz_@Jun 4 2004, 12:34 AM
> * But do you actually do all that stuff?
> 
> Here's my concern.  We're a private company, and we are stationed around the county in parking lots and street corners.  As soon as I arrive I call dispatch and let them know I'm there.  Then I have to do an entire checklist, check oil levels, lights, computers, radios, and the entire back of the ambulance.  We have about 25 or so, so it's important to check.  All of this is ideally supposed to happen in 15 minutes, but of course that's not how it works.
> ...


 Yeah, we do.  Being a volunteer department with the nearest hospital about an hour away, it is very important the rig is ready to go.  Besides, none of us want to go in and have a chat with the Chief if we can avoid it.  :unsure: 

We don't wash the rig after every run, but the critical checks are performed every time.  I mean, how would you explain to your cardiac patient that you just ran out of oxygen 10 minutes into your hour long transport?  I would hate to have to explain that in court.


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## PArescueEMT (Dec 30, 2004)

The driver is supposed to decon the truck and stretcher, clean out the trash, and make the bed. Unfortunatly, that doesn't always happen. :unsure:  :mellow:


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## cbdemt (Dec 31, 2004)

We're volly, no supply techs here.  We replace whatever supplys we use at the end of each call.  We fill up if its under 3/4 tank.  The rig is also completely D-con'd at the end of each run.  As for inventory, its done monthly at our maintenance meeting.  Everyone is pretty good at pitching in... never had much of a problem.


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## Summit (Dec 31, 2004)

We're a pro county EMS dept. We do all of our cleaning: station house and rigs (inside and out). We do all the inventories. We do all the stocking. Even the medics!


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## rescuecpt (Dec 31, 2004)

At the FD, we have an "engineering officer" who is in charge of the mechanics of the truck - the engine, the tires, the radios, and arranging the monthly professional cleaning.  As the Rescue Squad Captain, I am in charge of making sure the ambulance and supply closet are fully stocked.  We usually do a complete head to toe inventory on a monthly basis (because we're not that busy) and after each call the crews are required to restock what they used and sign off on the restock in the log book.  I spot check occasionally and if I find problems I speak to my crew and remind them that they don't want to be the one who needs something and can't find it because no one restocked after a call.

At the Corps the medics stock and tag the ALS supplies once per day.  If I'm lucky, when I get there, all of my ALS gear is still tagged, so then I can just write tag numbers on my inventory sheet.  We have 3 checkouts that happen at the start of each shift.  Driver checkout (engine, radio, lights), ALS checkout (drugs, IV starts, monitor, intubation), and BLS checkout (everything else).  For BLS, the probie checks everything out (great way to learn) while the crew chief supervises.  I do ALS and the driver does driving.  Between the four of us we bang out two ambulances in less than 1/2 hour and then have breakfast.  We have a nice little system going.  I know not everyone does their part on other shifts, but on our shift it is understood that this is how we operate and we do the procedure properly.


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## Jon (Dec 31, 2004)

> _Originally posted by cbdemt_@Dec 31 2004, 12:40 AM
> * We're volly, no supply techs here.  We replace whatever supplys we use at the end of each call.  We fill up if its under 3/4 tank.  The rig is also completely D-con'd at the end of each run.  As for inventory, its done monthly at our maintenance meeting.  Everyone is pretty good at pitching in... never had much of a problem. *


 my one volly squad has a "paid staff checklist" and a "vollie checklist"

the vollie is the basic stuff - o2, AED, bandaging supplies, c-collars and LBB's, BVM's, airways, fuel levels, radios, blinkies and whoo-whoo's, clean out the stored files in the MDT, etc.

The paid staff one is 3+ pages - ALL lights, fluid levels, count the 4x4's, etc. - this is the daily check for restock.

one checklist in the AM - paid, and one on the 6p-12a for the vollies.

works out well, and is usually done.


Jon


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## colafdp (Dec 31, 2004)

We do all of the cleaning and stocking as well. We only have 3 units as we don't have a huge call volume. 1 unit gets completely inventoried once every 3 days. For example:

Day 1 - 1419
Day 2 - 1460
Day 3 - 1173

and that keeps repeating itself. We also have post call checks that include cleaning the inside and outside of the units, as well as restocking anything that we may have used. Every morning on all 3 units, we check operation of lights, check oil, tire pressures, etc. It actually isn't that bad b\c we're used to it and didn't have the luxury of supply tech. To each his own i guess.


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## Jon (Dec 31, 2004)

> _Originally posted by MMiz_@May 17 2004, 12:52 AM
> * When I first started we had a supply tech that would clean and stock the rigs.  He would also inventory them and make sure everything was just right.  After both quit the company decided that they would just have us do it.
> <SNIP> *


 My other squad has a full-time carrer staff member employeed by the ambulance division, rather than the township. He is an EMT (while, acutually a -P who plays EMT on our truck  ) He does inventory on unsealed compartments and bags. He also washes the rig PRN (at least once a week) and checks fluids, etc. He ALSO does most of the decon of the boards we get back, as they are usually picked up during the day, or shipped in (Yes - hospitals UPS our boards home) or dropped off daytime. If we have a messy call we deco the bus, and if we have dirty equipment easily cleaned, we do it ourselves, but otherwise we leave it to him.

At the busy squad the actual Decon is 98/100 times left to the full time staff, who know HOW to decon stuff right. the other great thing is that they have 6 or 8 spare portable suctions, so all you have to do is take the dirty one and leave it in the decon area, and grab a new, fully-stocked, fully charged one.

They also have a full decon garage bay, from "special drains" (Not sure, either to a holding tank or filtered) and a big room with HUGE sinks and spray handles and basins - REALLY  NICE


Jon


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## coloradoemt (Dec 31, 2004)

We are all responsible for cleaning and inventory before and after each shift, and each call if time allows. We also have truck checks every other week just to make sure. Most of the folks I know are pretty good about keeping everything stocked and shiny.


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## TTLWHKR (Mar 4, 2005)

If I'm on the rig, I like to do the cleaning/decon myself. I just like to get all the places people normally wouldn't check, and make it as close to germ free as possible. I also like to do the check/restock, b/c I organize and restock all the units anyway. I'm the infection control officer, so I would end up giving each rig a complete cleaning each week anyway, why not do it whenever possible? 

I'm nitpicky.


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## ffemt8978 (Mar 4, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Blueeighty8_@Mar 3 2005, 10:29 PM
> * I'm nitpicky. *


 I'd say that's a good quality in an Infection Control Officer.


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## Jon (Mar 4, 2005)

> _Originally posted by ffemt8978+Mar 4 2005, 02:12 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (ffemt8978 @ Mar 4 2005, 02:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Blueeighty8_@Mar 3 2005, 10:29 PM
> * I'm nitpicky. *


I'd say that's a good quality in an Infection Control Officer.   [/b][/quote]
 I have to agree.

Jon


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## SCEMT-B (Mar 7, 2005)

I work for a private company and at the begining of each shift my partner and I go through our rig and check off everythign on the list which takes about 20 minutes. Make sure all our equipment is there and accounted for. At the end of our shift its our responability to restock, clean and wash the rig before we park it which takes about 45 minutes to complete.


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## emtbuff (Mar 8, 2005)

Okay thought I had posted in here already but most have not.  

Our ambulances are kept stocked by each member after each call what ever you use you replace out of the store closet.  We have one person that does all the ordering so we just call and leave a message of what is running low and what not.  Then that person generally does the outside cleaning or if we have a prade or other activity we will take the time and wash the rig to gether.  Which can be kinda dangerous at times but we have fun.   We have a maintenance person from the city that takes care of the brakes and shocks, oil changes and all that good stuff.  We also fill the fuel tank after every transfer or when ever it is less then either a quarter or half.  So we all basically share the cleaning.


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