paramedichopeful
Forum Lieutenant
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I am so excited right now, and for good reason. A local department (not mine) just took delivery yesterday of a 2008 Tahoe tricked out for EMS. See, the commissioners were constantly moaning about how much fuel they use in the type 3 just to go out and give first aid to some 5 year old. So, they decided to get a smaller vehicle to use as a primary response unit and staff it with a team of elite Medics and Intermediates. I just went down today, at the department's invitation, to check things over and look at the state-of-the art in first response.
It is a 2008 Tahoe with almost no miles on it. There is a compartment in the floor by the back hatch that stores an 02 tank and mask kit. A small cabinet has a suction canister and airway kit, and there is a c-spine kit and a KED board. The very back row of seats have been removed and the middle row folds flat into the floor. There is a backboard with a pillow and some blankets that goes on the floor, and you can strap the pt. and board to keep them from rolling around.
Basically how it works is like that of a regular sized ambulance. If it's not something serious like an MVA or head trauma, Medic and Intermediate jump in the Tahoe and roll. Once on scene they can assess the situation, and if need be they can call in more help and get started treating the pt. The Intermediate drives while the Medic is in the back monitoring the pt. You load them onto the backboard, put them in the back, and strap them down. There is a small (pre-school sized) chair mounted on a swivel up by the pt.'s head. Paperwork is done digitally via laptop and barcode scanner. The glass in the back and on the sides can be switched to blurry privacy glass with the touch of a button.
Lighting is amazing. Inside there is a switch to change from regular flourescence to red night lights. The outside has a bar on top and street glow on the bottom that reaches out several yards. Every siren imaginable is on this thing, and alleys are not good places to test them out.
Before I left they asked me if I would like to go with them on a test drive. I thought, "What! A new unit and they want ME to go with them on the test drive?!" Of course I went; I got to play pt while they drove around doing checks to make sure everything worked. By the way, those freakin' backboards are uncomfortable as hell!
All in all I had fun; and I think I learned a few things too. Now if that new-ambulance smell would just go away.... new car smell is nice, but new ambulance smell is like burnt plastic and diahrrea.
It is a 2008 Tahoe with almost no miles on it. There is a compartment in the floor by the back hatch that stores an 02 tank and mask kit. A small cabinet has a suction canister and airway kit, and there is a c-spine kit and a KED board. The very back row of seats have been removed and the middle row folds flat into the floor. There is a backboard with a pillow and some blankets that goes on the floor, and you can strap the pt. and board to keep them from rolling around.
Basically how it works is like that of a regular sized ambulance. If it's not something serious like an MVA or head trauma, Medic and Intermediate jump in the Tahoe and roll. Once on scene they can assess the situation, and if need be they can call in more help and get started treating the pt. The Intermediate drives while the Medic is in the back monitoring the pt. You load them onto the backboard, put them in the back, and strap them down. There is a small (pre-school sized) chair mounted on a swivel up by the pt.'s head. Paperwork is done digitally via laptop and barcode scanner. The glass in the back and on the sides can be switched to blurry privacy glass with the touch of a button.
Lighting is amazing. Inside there is a switch to change from regular flourescence to red night lights. The outside has a bar on top and street glow on the bottom that reaches out several yards. Every siren imaginable is on this thing, and alleys are not good places to test them out.
Before I left they asked me if I would like to go with them on a test drive. I thought, "What! A new unit and they want ME to go with them on the test drive?!" Of course I went; I got to play pt while they drove around doing checks to make sure everything worked. By the way, those freakin' backboards are uncomfortable as hell!
All in all I had fun; and I think I learned a few things too. Now if that new-ambulance smell would just go away.... new car smell is nice, but new ambulance smell is like burnt plastic and diahrrea.
