Cameras in Ambulances?

The Drivecam

"The DriveCam system has been installed in all B****** EMS vehicles to identify and improve risky driving behavior. It includes a dual-lens video camera that is mounted to the windshield of the vehicle and records sights and sounds inside and outside the driving compartment of the emergency vehicle. Using an omni-directional, infrared light source, the DriveCam Illuminator shines an invisible light within the vehicle's interior. The camera, records a 20-second loop of activity outside the vehicle and in the driver's compartment when activated by a sudden stop, a sharp turn or any other jarring movement. 10-seconds before and 10-seconds after the event that activated the camera. The camera can also can be turned on manually and will record 20-seconds."

I read this article on a local website and saw it has been installed on almost all of their vehicles. Hearing how it works is interesting
 
In Tallahassee we already have dash mounted cameras in the cabs. I'm don't think they can place cameras in the patent compartment yet. but just give them time.
 
Ok, So I came across this thread and have to comment. One of the stations in a neighboring county has a camera system installed (I am not sure if it is recorded or not.) There is a camera mounted on the back of the ambulance to act as a back-up camera and there is another in the PT compartment pointing from front to back on the ceiling. In the drivers compartment, there is a monitor mounted near where the rear view mirror would be. The driver has the ability to watch what is going on in the back of the ambulance.

In a rural station, such as the one I run with, we run minimal staffing on our ambulance (one driver and one EMT.) While I am a big fan of privacy and what not, I am also a big fan of safety. When I am driving the ambulance I think it would be great to be able to see what is going on in the back of the ambulance in the event that there is a PT who may all of a sudden become uncooperative. If I notice that the EMT is in danger, I would be able to look in to the display and make a decision to pull over and assist with restraining or whatever needs to be done. We do not have a doorway or walkway from the cab to the PT compartment, We only have a small 12 x 24" window

On the flip side, the screen could become distracting at night but there is a level of training that would have to be accomplished.
 
Guardian said:
this is going to be a problem, I refuse to take vitals every 15 mins (we don't have nibp's)
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I think Guardian hit it dead on,The cameras wouldnt be so much for the law suits, just more "big brother" over your shoulder at ALL TIMES. I already get harassed by the FTO's and supervisors as is, last thing i need to do is go into work every morning for a sit down in the "viewing" room. I took a chewing out at a company i used to work for a while back, for sitting in the captains chair on a TXP. Apparantly that wasnt good patient care because you cant see the patient from that seat.

I'm all for them in the windshield, hell, i want them up front. Cover my behind in an accident. Or even if you witness an "incident" and have enough time to hit the panic button. Now whatever it was is on camera. Not to mention the humor/comical factor. We had one as a trial thing for about a month, im pretty sure it wasnt hooked up, but i got a kick out of whacking that red button everytime my partner said something stupid or gross.
 
we have 2 cameras in our new 07 PL. in the patient compartment over the back doors facing the patient with a screen up front. and another on the back for a back up camera. neither camera records just shows live pictures to the driver.
 
Not my emergency

I'm against cameras. Defensive driving is the way to go. We don't need lights an sirens to the calls any way. To the hospital yes, just to run red lights when you are sure it is clear all the way down the road or the lanes are blocked by stopped cars and you see the others see you. 1 to 5 minutes is not going to make a difference on 98.567 % of your calls. I understand there are certain situations where a camera would benefit you, but I see it as an extra cost to the already financially struggling system. Same goes for humidifiers in the truck. LOL. Besides if you drive like a bat out of hell with a patient in the back what is your partner going to get done ?

I could go on and on and on and on.

EMT-P
 
Curious as to where you got your numbers and the belief that emergency warning equipment is not needed.........

I can tell you that without lights and siren, our response time would increase to an unacceptable level, far surpassing an "extra 1 - 5 minutes".
 
understood

I work in Rural county. Not to many stop lights and lots of highway. I guess in the bigger cites like Houston where there is a light on every corner the times would be higher of course. My numbers did not come from any where in particular I made them up. But they wouldn't be that much higher would they? What do you think? 10 -15 ? It all depends on where the call is.
 
your out of your skull if you think lights and sirens arent needed. i run then every call all the time to the scene and to the hospital. ALWAYS lights and siren when i need it to go throught red lights and around people in my way which comes out to everyone. maybe in the backwoods rural states but that wont cut it here in jersey. NY either. and your numbers are WAY off. if we diddnt use lights and sirens our 5 minute ride to the hospital just became 20-25 minutes. ive clocked it. our calls run a minimum of an hour start to finish from the the tim the pager goes off till the time i call back at headquarters clear.

bottom line. you dont need to drive like a moron. i actually and rarely ever even hit the speed limit so my partner and or the medics if i call them can do their job.
 
SMC said:
I'm against cameras. Defensive driving is the way to go. We don't need lights an sirens to the calls any way. To the hospital yes, just to run red lights when you are sure it is clear all the way down the road or the lanes are blocked by stopped cars and you see the others see you. 1 to 5 minutes is not going to make a difference on 98.567 % of your calls. I understand there are certain situations where a camera would benefit you, but I see it as an extra cost to the already financially struggling system. Same goes for humidifiers in the truck. LOL. Besides if you drive like a bat out of hell with a patient in the back what is your partner going to get done ?

I could go on and on and on and on.

EMT-P
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In the county I live in we have a priority dispatching system that when a call comes in and the info is takin by dispatch they let us know if its a priority 1,which means we run lights and sirens all the way to the scene and priority 2, which means we get there as soon as we can but not in emergency status (no lights or sirens).
 
mfrjason said:
In the county I live in we have a priority dispatching system that when a call comes in and the info is takin by dispatch they let us know if its a priority 1,which means we run lights and sirens all the way to the scene and priority 2, which means we get there as soon as we can but not in emergency status (no lights or sirens).
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that shouldnt be up to the dispatcher. go lights and sirens there. if its nothing then take a slow ride to the hospital but at least if it was serious and diddnt sound that way to the dispatcher then you at least got there quick.
 
Mercy4Angels said:
that shouldnt be up to the dispatcher. go lights and sirens there. if its nothing then take a slow ride to the hospital but at least if it was serious and diddnt sound that way to the dispatcher then you at least got there quick.
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everyone in this area uses the priority system.
p1 is emergencies such as cp, and sob, MVC, and major trauma, etc

p2 is emergenyies such as seizure (post-dictal), minor MVA (w/fr on scene), etc

p3 is non-emergent 911's, such as mental eval's for pd, stubbed toes, etc

p4 is scheduled transports

also p1, and p2 get an ALS fire engine that can shut the medic down if it's not a legit emergent call. We get alot of p2's that really dont need an emergent response, but we go emerg anyways to err on the side of the pt.
 
My squad's policy is that we run emergent to the scene except for EDP's, DOA's (unless a "questionable" DOA), Fire Calls that ARE NOT "working fires" as long as there is no reported need for EMS, Medical Alert alarms without a known patient, and "Lift Assists"

Except for the above calls, we run hot to the scene. We almost NEVER transport emergently, as our transport time is usually 5 minutes to the ED anyway.
 
Bumping this because I saw someone post some pictures of their new ambulance


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http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4297958769792.181910.1311328604&type=3
 
WOW that is one sweet ride.
 
The agency I am doing my internship at has a camera in the patient compartment. It's for both the crews and patients protection.
 
wow inside the patient compartment? ours are mounted forward and backward by the rear view mirror and then one on the outside facing behind the ambulance like a back up camera would be, in the patient compartment is nuts...
 
Anonymous said:
wow inside the patient compartment? ours are mounted forward and backward by the rear view mirror and then one on the outside facing behind the ambulance like a back up camera would be, in the patient compartment is nuts...
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Why is it nuts to put one in the patient compartment? If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear right? I'd love to have one, though my partners that nap in back might not.
 
Hockey said:
Bumping this because I saw someone post some pictures of their new ambulance
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Our 911 trucks are nearly identical Demers, they seem to make a pretty user friendly interior.
 
Tigger said:
If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear right?.
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Isn't that how they are justifying all these big brother is watching programs, implementation of spy drones and so fourth... I can see it being used in this setting for it does provide an account of what happened if you fear lawsuits but on a private level like in our personal vehicles or a little drone above my city, No thank you.
 
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