Backing Ambulance into Bay

[medic258]

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.

Just don't have a sense of humor.

 

[haneyk]

Our ambulance service requires us to go thru a ambulance driving course. They setup cones at the local rural airport and we had 3 hours of classroom and another 3 hours of driving at the airport, from high speed cornering, to lots of backups. Go thing cones can not hurt the ambulance! It was well worth taking the course.

Kevin

 

[disassociative]

Use your unit's ears(The big mirrors on each side). Whenever your unit is parked in the bay; take a mental note of the clearance between the bay and the ambulance on each side; so you can better judge for yourself as to the proper positioning.

 

[Lets_roll]

Personally i like the idea of having a spotter think about it.. if your the PT do you want to go for a ride in a bent to sh*t ambulance or do you wanna ride in the ambulance that has no dents or major malfunctions? most crews consist of atleast 2 people (EMT & Paramedic, or 2 EMTs) so i think the logical idea is to get a spotter. we have a damn button we have to push so the black box knows we have a spotter outside

 

[FFPARAMEDIC08]

Just make sure you're in between the doors and you'll be fine. (that's a joke by the way)

Seriously though, don't worry so much about getting it in there perfectly. Just try to back it in without tearing off the bumper!

 

[Hazmat91180]

As another note, my station we box out where the tires should be when the rig is parked perfectly. Another thing to do is when the rig is parked before you take it out, notice what is on the wall to the drivers side. I align the rig's drivers mirror with an electrical outlet and then I know I am in the right spot.


BUT, if you have a spotter, by all means use them if you don't feel comfortable.

 

[TraumaJunkie]

the best way to back in is to use your mirrors and pray

 

[mattulance]

It is all about practice, but when you use cones don't just mark out the bays , but the approach to the bay and mabey even put a couple other "cone units" on either side. I had the same problem where I garage my rig i have to pull up long, then go through a gate then put it between a rv and a boat. It scared the***** out of me at first but i haven's hit anything
expensive yet. One thing they taught us at work , if you back up grab the 6o'clock position of the wheel, that way when you back your steering is automatically reversed.

 

[firetender]

Practice, but instead of cones, use a few of your most prized personal possessions. See how good and how fast you get then!

 

[EMTMandy]

Practice, but instead of cones, use a few of your most prized personal possessions. See how good and how fast you get then!

hahaha that would be a good one for me. i couldn't imagine hearing the crunching metal of an ambulance against brick etc. I'd probably vomit. :wacko: The first and only major thing I've ever hit with any vehicle was when I backed into my horse trailer with my sister's car. I decided that was enough for me. Acutually, I'm surprised I still have my head! I NEVER want to hear that sound again haha I practice backing/parallel parking everywhere I can with my extended minivan. Pretty good at it now.

 

[firetender]

...and if it makes anyone feel better, I was driving with the head of my County EMS as ride-along and, warning her that she'd feel a little Bump as I used the touch system (slowly backing into the ambulance bay until my rear tires hit the low concrete bunker) BAM! there was a huge smash and my Boss of Bosses tumbled to the floor in the back because I had forgotten we had just gotten high-top ambulances and crashed in to the EMERGENCY sign over the bay.

 

[EMTMandy]

...and if it makes anyone feel better, I was driving with the head of my County EMS as ride-along and, warning her that she'd feel a little Bump as I used the touch system (slowly backing into the ambulance bay until my rear tires hit the low concrete bunker) BAM! there was a huge smash and my Boss of Bosses tumbled to the floor in the back because I had forgotten we had just gotten high-top ambulances and crashed in to the EMERGENCY sign over the bay.

OHHHmygosh... Can't cover that one up haha that would be SOO TERRIBLE I would have just died if I were in that position. What became of all that??

 

[firetender]

I became head of EMS, of course.

 

[firetender]

(Can't get this thing to wink without saying anything)

 

[EMTMandy]

wow...it's that easy these days? Someone might want to Reevaluate the screening process lol jpjp that's really cool though

 

[firetender]

(for the record, 'twas a joke, I was never head of EMS anywhere.)

 

[EMTMandy]

OO You got me on that one haha

 

[ccems644]

Find something where your backing up(curb, support pillar, etc) and back in a straight line with it. The other posts are right though PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE....

 

[TgerFoxMark]

Practice Practice Practice... I had it easy... Learned to back up the family trailers, Boat... Travel and Hauling... Took and passed my CDL-A... an ambulance is Small compared to a 53 foot Trailer...

 

[ccems644]

Yea I hear ya. I used to drive tractor trailer truck when I farmed. It was easy to adjust to something small after backing 50 feet of truck into some of the little grain elevator dump pits.