Do you wear your seatbelt in back?
- Thread starter joo
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Welcome to the forum.
We've talked about this before. In fact, there was a pretty lengthy thread if I remember but I can't seem to locate it right now.
Click on "search" up top and put in something like 'seatbelts in back' and I'm sure you'll get a few posts where we've talked about it.
Chimp
We've talked about this before. In fact, there was a pretty lengthy thread if I remember but I can't seem to locate it right now.
Click on "search" up top and put in something like 'seatbelts in back' and I'm sure you'll get a few posts where we've talked about it.
Chimp
Everytime I am in a vehicle I wear my seatbelt. I do whatever I can to go home to my family after my shift, that includes a seatbelt in the back when I'm attending once pt care is set up. It helps that I am 6'7" so I can reach everything in a rig from the squad bench. Stay safe.
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I wear my seatbelt in back whenever it's possible. Just take a minute or two and look at the pictures of EMS crashes. It's common for the medic in back to die, often because of non-existent or ineffective restraints.
The chances of an EMT being injured in a car accident far exceed the chances of an injury from an assault. I even read one article in JEMS that suggested EMTs wear light body armor (bullet resistant vests) not only for protection from an assault, but even more importantly as protection from a crash.
The chances of an EMT being injured in a car accident far exceed the chances of an injury from an assault. I even read one article in JEMS that suggested EMTs wear light body armor (bullet resistant vests) not only for protection from an assault, but even more importantly as protection from a crash.
Sounds like the person who recommended body armor has a non-existent understanding of blunt trauma received in MVCs. Pointing out that far more injuries occur because of MVCs is good though.
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Has anyone used the new 5-point operator harnesses?
I have only worked in buses with lap belts on the bench and Capitan's chairs-- but have read about the new cool five-point seatbelts that allow the operator to reach anything in the rig while still being restrained. Has anyone used them? Do they actually work? Do you really have full range of motion?
Are there any studies of ambulance crashes where EMTs ARE restrained? Do the lap belts actually work? Does equipment actually stay where it is supposed to?
I have only worked in buses with lap belts on the bench and Capitan's chairs-- but have read about the new cool five-point seatbelts that allow the operator to reach anything in the rig while still being restrained. Has anyone used them? Do they actually work? Do you really have full range of motion?
Are there any studies of ambulance crashes where EMTs ARE restrained? Do the lap belts actually work? Does equipment actually stay where it is supposed to?
Seat belts in back
This topic has been of some discussion at our local station. We just recently have gotten a new administrator, and this subject has been of some concern to her, as many of our EMTs do not wear their seat belts when in back, patient or not. I personally think it's a great idea to wear them, however, in some situations, it's not practical. When we do our scene size up after receiving note from dispatcher, we are moving around getting things like our O2 bag and various pieces of gear so that we are ready when we get to scene. It's hard, because making sure that we are safe is a huge part of being an EMT. I think that when practical and when available, wearing a seat belt is something we should all be practicing. Our drivers, of course always wear them, and front seat passengers as well. But because every situation is different, I think sometimes it's not always something that can be done.
This topic has been of some discussion at our local station. We just recently have gotten a new administrator, and this subject has been of some concern to her, as many of our EMTs do not wear their seat belts when in back, patient or not. I personally think it's a great idea to wear them, however, in some situations, it's not practical. When we do our scene size up after receiving note from dispatcher, we are moving around getting things like our O2 bag and various pieces of gear so that we are ready when we get to scene. It's hard, because making sure that we are safe is a huge part of being an EMT. I think that when practical and when available, wearing a seat belt is something we should all be practicing. Our drivers, of course always wear them, and front seat passengers as well. But because every situation is different, I think sometimes it's not always something that can be done.
reaper
Working Bum
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We can develop a vest that will be bullet proof and work for MVC's.
If you look at the vests that bullriders wear, they are designed to diffuse the force upon impact. Trust me they do work and have saved many of serious injuries.
We just have to make a hybrid of the two!
If you look at the vests that bullriders wear, they are designed to diffuse the force upon impact. Trust me they do work and have saved many of serious injuries.
We just have to make a hybrid of the two!
Mercy4Angels
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your a fool if ya dont wear one after the patient is stable. while a nice type three rig is a heavy truck and would probably plow a car. an 80,000 lb semi will eat ya for lunch.
disassociative
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When I am the back on the way to the patient, I always wear the seatbelt. If the patient is stable, I strap on the belt--only removing it if I need to perform an intervention. If the patient is unstable, I get a bit iffy with the seatbelt.
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100% of the parnters I've worked with in EMS wore them up front. I don't know how many wore them in back, as I'd be driving while they teched the patient.
yea, crush jackets. If you go to a horse races, the horse people wear them. It puts the force across the whole body instead of one. THat is not somethign I'd really want to wear, I'd rather where the 5 point harness.
Anyone have any links for the new five point harness??
reaper
Working Bum
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The ones they wear at horse racing is just foam padding. They don't work well for massive blunt trauma. Bullriding vests have a ballistic shell in them. Once their on, you hardly notice them.
honestly, I have to confess I rarely wear a belt when I'm in the back.
On transfers I ride the bench until I have vitals, hx done, then I move to the air-chair for the rest of the paperwork. If I'm riding with the medic however, I'm usually on the bench the whole way. (Seniority, you know)
I know for a fact the bench is not safe, especially in the van, (I've had a few partners slide me around pretty bad in traffic), but compared to the bench the rearward facing captain's chair seems safer at the time.
Obviously, crash tests and accidents prove that a seatbelt would be the best option, I suppose that's something I'll have to work on. Bench seatbelts are rather awkward though.
On transfers I ride the bench until I have vitals, hx done, then I move to the air-chair for the rest of the paperwork. If I'm riding with the medic however, I'm usually on the bench the whole way. (Seniority, you know)
I know for a fact the bench is not safe, especially in the van, (I've had a few partners slide me around pretty bad in traffic), but compared to the bench the rearward facing captain's chair seems safer at the time.
Obviously, crash tests and accidents prove that a seatbelt would be the best option, I suppose that's something I'll have to work on. Bench seatbelts are rather awkward though.
When the health care providers are not secured in the back and the patient is secured, the patient will be at risk of being harmed more by the providers bodies than the accident itself.
The two unstrained health care providers may also collide depending on the angle of collision. The person on the seat against the wall will definitely feel the full momentum of the other person on the bench traveling forward toward them for the impact. A collision from another angle, the other provider might be the flying object traveling toward impact with the other person.
The two unstrained health care providers may also collide depending on the angle of collision. The person on the seat against the wall will definitely feel the full momentum of the other person on the bench traveling forward toward them for the impact. A collision from another angle, the other provider might be the flying object traveling toward impact with the other person.
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there are actually 2 different types of harnesses out now.. one is either a 4 or 5 point harness built into a seat. The other is a 5-point harness that is tethered at the shoulders and waist with webbing. The webbing is designed to allow you to lock it in place, and to release the lock to extend it so you can stand up to do something quickly.
I had a chance to try on both types of harnesses in the AEV/AMR concept rig at the last EMS Today show I was at. They are about as comfortable as a shoulder harness is.... not too bad.
As for wearing seatbelts. My part-time employerhas a zero-tolerence policy with seatbelt use. Failure to use a seatbelt 100% of the time up front, and whenever possible in the back will result in immediate termination if caught. Our newest rigs have orange seatbelts in the front, so a supervisor can see that they are being used at a distance.
I had a chance to try on both types of harnesses in the AEV/AMR concept rig at the last EMS Today show I was at. They are about as comfortable as a shoulder harness is.... not too bad.
As for wearing seatbelts. My part-time employerhas a zero-tolerence policy with seatbelt use. Failure to use a seatbelt 100% of the time up front, and whenever possible in the back will result in immediate termination if caught. Our newest rigs have orange seatbelts in the front, so a supervisor can see that they are being used at a distance.
DisasterMedTech
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I have to say that when I first started out, and was running with a three person crew which put me in the box coming and going, i was very lax about the belt. Then one day we were running hot code 3 at about 90mph to an MVC and the driver changed lanes quickly and I got slammed around and bounced off just about every cabinet. There are times when you just cant be belted in, but for the majority of the times when you can, you better believe I am hooked to that seat and ours are tight enough that even in the captains chair, even if we should tip over, I aint going very far. Now of someone could just make the disaster response John Deere Gators safer. I know ours are getting fitted with roll cages as we speek.
Whether you alway do or never do, stay safe out there friends. I look forward to putting faces to all the names at a convention one day.
Slante!
Whether you alway do or never do, stay safe out there friends. I look forward to putting faces to all the names at a convention one day.
Slante!