Backing Ambulance into Bay

Markhk

Forum Lieutenant
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Hey Guys,

Does anyone have any tips about how to back an ambulance (something like a Type III ambulance) into an ambulance bay WITHOUT a spotter?

I am completely new to having to back without a spotter but it's just the way the hospital is set up. The first time I did it (Friday) I ended up double parking in two spaces. Embarrassing!

(I do recognize that backing without a spotter is the most risky for any ambulance operator.)
 

MMiz

I put the M in EMTLife
Community Leader
5,519
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Practice! I spent quite a bit of time practicing parking the ambulance in different spots.

Use the lines on the ground as a guide. The mirrors are deceiving, so you'll have to practice to see the difference between what it looks like in the mirror and what it's really like.
 

KEVD18

Forum Deputy Chief
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practice practice practice. set up a cone course at the station. if your out cruising around in the unit, head over to the H and back her in.
 

Grady_emt

Forum Captain
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Who cares if you take up two spots, just DONT DENT THE EGG!!!!
 

Ridryder911

EMS Guru
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One of the EMS services I worked at had painted small lines to place the tires to allign on, to back up.

R/r 911
 

PArescueEMT

Forum Bartender
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i agree... it's all practice. the more you get, the better you will be. If on standby and not in quarters, head to a shopping mall and use the lines there. Go anywhere that there are lines painted on the ground. Just practice.
 

medic258

Forum Crew Member
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I agree with all of the practice. Lines in the garage are great as well. If nothing else works, back up until it sounds expensive.
 

BossyCow

Forum Deputy Chief
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Mirrors?????


Yeah, they are those shiny things on the sides of the rig. You know, the things that get stuck in the doorway!
 

Jon

Administrator
Community Leader
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Around here, all the ED's are pull-throughs. We most often back into the bay at the station.

My trick is to pull in, pass the bay and turn out. I back up slowly, make sure I can see the markings on the floor on both sides of the truck in the mirrors... then I back in. I stop when I line up with other rigs or hit the wheel chock in the back of the space.

Our newest rig has a topo-mounted rear-view camera - I love it - I can see what is behind me when I back up!
 

rmellish

Forum Captain
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Backing cameras, stuff I can only dream about.

I started as an ambulance driver before I became a tech, and I even have to pull forward and try again occasionally. It's much easier for me to back the type IIIs, or any truck, by getting as close to aligned as possible before putting the truck in reverse. Also, I'm assuming your partner is in the back, so have them spot through the rear window just in case.

Find a landmark in the bay to align your side mirror with so you know how far back in the rig should be.

Open your window, so if you scrape something, you'll know before the supervisor.

And whatever you do, don't listen to the patient's suggestions....lol
 

emtd29

Forum Lieutenant
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we have a line on the floor at our house that you line the left side of the bus up to. so,once you have the door open ( very important ) get yourself so that you can see the opening into the bay in BOTH Mirrors, back in lining the edge of the rear wheels and box up to the line. once you've got the front end inside the bay, stop.

we also have the cameras on our trucks, so that kinda helps you to not hit anything directly behind you.

The hospitals are where the camera comes in handy
 

hangit

Forum Crew Member
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something i do sometimes and recommend to new drivers, pull forward another truck length or two more than normal if possible, then back up. you get more of a "big picture" view and can help put things in a better perspective.
 

Corl-Grove

Forum Ride Along
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Practice will make perfect but...

I have to agree with the other commentators that practice will make perfect but...

Please don't listen to the one that says back until it sounds expensive. From and EMS Managers perspective drive-through is always the way to go however most hospitals (at least in my area) have additional EMS parking spaces near the ED if you really don't feel comfortable backing without a spotter don't. Pull into a spot and unload your patient. You may have to suffer through a little ribbing. But you won't lose your job for constantly denting the back bumper or hitting the hospitals.

Take care, and be safe
 

jedimedic

Forum Ride Along
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0
backing

Use the Force Luke use the Force.

Actually practice practrice till you become one with the truck and extentsion of your self.

Painted lines help too, clear the bay visually as you pull up then use the driver side line as a guide in your mirror.

Jeff "JediMedic"
 

WLSC2008

Forum Crew Member
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At my agency we have lines painted on the inside of the bay. Our guys and gals just back those up like it is nothing.

I can understand your concerns. I have the same.
 

JJR512

Forum Deputy Chief
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When you come up to the area where you want to back into, before you get turned around and can't see it directly, take a good look at the area. Look at where you go and look at what's around it. Look at where the lines or other landmarks are on the ground. Look for something to use as a clue to let you know when to stop. For example, if you're going to back up into a spot next to another ambulance that's like yours, you'll know when to stop when you see that your mirror is right next to the other unit's mirror. Get a good mental picture of the lay of the land, plan it out in your mind what it is you need to do, then do it. I first learned to back up when I was driving armored trucks. I got to the point where I could back into an enclosed bay (bank depots, where billions of dollars in cash can be found inside, have fully enclosed bays with a garage door that's opened up for the armored truck) from an angle, doing the lining up on the move without stopping, at a quick enough speed to scare many a partner into grabbing the armrest in alarm. :D (Of course, I would never drive an ambulance like that, especially with a patient on board! :))
 

keith10247

Forum Lieutenant
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One thing that helped me was to setup cones in a parking lot...take the last spot at the end of a parking row (near a curb) and put the cones just on the outside of that spot (create an alley basically). Practice getting in to that spot without hitting the cones or the curb. You will start to learn the pivot point on the back tire and how to align it with the line before cutting your wheel to get in to the parking spot. Remember to watch your mirrors....more importantly watch the correct mirrors! Cut the wheel once your pivot point is inline with the line on the parking spot. Using the fish eye lense on the mirror proves to be very handy as well. I use this consistantly when backing (even with a spotter).

Once you start getting this...setup cones in the shape of an alley (no wider than the width of the ambulance + a few inches) in a second row that is appx 1x the length of the ambulance infront of the spot you are aiming for, and 4 or 5 widths of the ambulance to the left or right of the spot you are aiming for. Drive infront of the second parking spot, back in to that spot then continue backing in to the first original spot.

Oh, one more thing. When you are in your POV, start backing in to parking spots. The more you do it, the better you will get. When I first started, I SUCKED at backing! My first call driving was up a 500 or so yard curvey driveway with just enough room for the ambulance on either side. I had no turn around spot so I had to back down the driveway. I had backers (one on each side...the one on the passenger side was a just in-case person.

Good luck to you!
 

Mercy4Angels

Forum Lieutenant
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im scared. seriously if ya cant park it dont drive it. go get some practice. just do it over and over till ya run out of diesel. lol. then start driving back from the hospital or on other trips where your not going HOT. once you can drive it comfortably and relaxed...you know so your not on the wheel like a 90yo 5ft gerry patient...then you should try going hot on a call where you know the location, wont get lost and its not near rush hour or schools getting out. after 7pm is usually safe at least by me adjust for your own town. then once you comfy with that then take the plunge for a REAL emergency during rush hour. man i love those calls....lol
 

Thanach

Forum Crew Member
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Lucky fellahs

pull-thru ED bays? must be nice, around here, everything is back it up to the doors/curb, and most of them have tiny areas without enough parking and really weird angles to back up in.

Even in boston, the major trauma centers have the easiest bays to back into, and thats just cause you've got enough room to pull up and back straight into a spot. Unless, of course, you're going to Brigham and Womens, where I swear the bay was designed for a non extended van type ambulance, it's horrible, not to mention the random cement poles in the spaces....
 
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