GPS for personal use on the truck?

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Phlipper

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I'm thinking of getting a small handheld/dashmount GPS since I will be running solo (Basic in ambulance, Medic in SUV rendezvous on scene) in two weeks and I'm relatively new to the area I'll be working. Seems it would be faster than the map book we have.

Anyone tried this?

Tips on models?
 
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Sounds like a good idea however don't let it replace good map reading skills, machines fail some don't have all the streets or new developments.

That can be said about maps too, just use with caution. Gps seem to pull some wrong streets if the user isn't paying attention, can cause some delays.
 
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A lot of people us GPS. My phone has great GPS. If you cant read a mapbook then it would be good to learn but once you do the GPS is the best bet. Just like a calculator. Its good to know how to add but once you know whats wrong with using a calculator?
 
Doublecheck both applicable laws and your service policies to ensure you're not placing yourself at risk.

For example among local services policy varies from:
- 6" Garmin mounted in the truck
- Personal GPS allowed but units not provided
- Personal GPS disallowed

All have mapbooks and the not very user friendly Ministry of Health locator program.
 
The map books are simple to read, but one must look up the street ... turn to the page ... find the grid ... find the street ... find the adjacent maps ... trace back to a known point ... go. I see team members who've been there a while still fumble a bit. To me, it makes more sense to use GPS till I learn the area better, which will likely lead to better routes than the GPS gives me on some runs since GPS can sometimes send you around the world to get next door.
 
The mapbook doesn't get interference from cloud cover.
 
I prefer GPS since the Mapbooks tend to be outdated and missing pages.

Personally I like the TomTom models since the way that you input the address corresponds closer to how the addresses are dispatched for us
 
Gps

I bought a GPS which I use when driving. I also have a mapbook because sometimes the GPS doesn't work - it will say "lost satellite signal 1.35 minutes ago" or whatever.

It's a TomTom and it's okay, except that it doesn't say what street I am turning on to - it will say "In 800 yards, turn left" but not onto which street, which is annoying. The map is perfect though.

I can't mount it on a permanent mount because I never have the same truck, so I just have it on my lap or the seat next to me, speaking as I'm driving. I never look at it unless I'm stopped at a light or stop sign.
 
I used a gps for awhile, but im gun shy because every once in awhile it was totally wrong and tried to send me the wrong way. So I guess I'd say use with caution because it's your butt if it screws up
 
Actually the other day doing some additional training required by my service, we were told if we had a gps bring it. We respond to some weird places, lots of back roads. Just get one that is trustworthy. just have good knowledge of your most common response areas
 
I've never ever had a problem with my gps. Just sayin'.

The Garmin 255w is cheap and works well.
 
255w ... I'll check it out. Thanks.
 
Garmin nüvi 255wt

The Garmin nüvi 255wt comes with a special FM Traffic Antenna built into the 12v USB vehicle power adapter. The model itself is the same as the 255w but also includes the added real-time, lifetime traffic updates that are a huge advantage. It even boasts a detour button and extended information. I picked mine up last week on-sale at Best Buy for $80 and it seems that is the going rate on up to about $130 if you check online. Though nothing can replace a traditional map-book and the skills to adequately and quickly read it, I have found that this Garmin is accurate and very easy to use. My only gripe is that the screen is a bit hard to tap as compared to other units that I have used but the wide-screen and traffic are phenomenal features that make me very happy that I decided to purchase this model.
 
Garmin nüvi 255wt - One more thing

One more cool side note about the Garmin nüvi 255wt GPS unit is that you can change the on-screen avatar that represents your vehicle. One of the downloadable options suitable for the whacker in all of us is entitled "medic" and is an adorable, miniature ambulance. Very sweet indeed!

Of course there are many other available options from mini-vans to rocket-sleighs and even a "24 command center" that Jack Bauer would be proud to call his own.

The feature is called "Garmin Garage" and right now I am loving it until it becomes old and boring which will probably be in about a week or two. I found the link here and yes, there are even downloadable voices but at this time the options are limited to say the least...

http://www.garmin.com/vehicles/

And the specific link to the "medic" ambulance can be found here:

http://www.garmin.com/vehicles/product.html?vName=medic

Enjoy!
 
Jay said:
One more cool side note about the Garmin nüvi 255wt GPS unit is that you can change the on-screen avatar that represents your vehicle. One of the downloadable options suitable for the whacker in all of us is entitled "medic" and is an adorable, miniature ambulance. Very sweet indeed!

Of course there are many other available options from mini-vans to rocket-sleighs and even a "24 command center" that Jack Bauer would be proud to call his own.

The feature is called "Garmin Garage" and right now I am loving it until it becomes old and boring which will probably be in about a week or two. I found the link here and yes, there are even downloadable voices but at this time the options are limited to say the least...

http://www.garmin.com/vehicles/

And the specific link to the "medic" ambulance can be found here:

http://www.garmin.com/vehicles/product.html?vName=medic

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

I knew about the ability to change the avatar but I didn't know about the "medic" avatar. Thanks for sharing. B)
 
Jay said:
One more cool side note about the Garmin nüvi 255wt GPS unit is that you can change the on-screen avatar that represents your vehicle. One of the downloadable options suitable for the whacker in all of us is entitled "medic" and is an adorable, miniature ambulance. Very sweet indeed!
Click to expand...

I must shamefacedly admit that I drive around with a little ambulance on my GPS screen. :blush:
 
I have a Magellan Explorist hand held GPS. Works great, I use mine for all my Geology trips. I also used it to plot the coordinates on my geology website.
www.geoepicenter.com
Very reliable, screen is rather small and maybe hard to read if driving, but for hiking and such, they are great.
 
Phlipper said:
The map books are simple to read, but one must look up the street ... turn to the page ... find the grid ... find the street ... find the adjacent maps ... trace back to a known point ... go. I see team members who've been there a while still fumble a bit. To me, it makes more sense to use GPS till I learn the area better, which will likely lead to better routes than the GPS gives me on some runs since GPS can sometimes send you around the world to get next door.
Click to expand...

Personally, I have found that I learn an area better from maps than from GPS devices.

That being said, I have nothing against GPS and in fact used one on my IFT job. I could have been sent to anywhere in the state, and sometimes out of it. So that frequently took me into areas I wasn't familiar with. But at least from maps, I knew the general geography. I knew that if I was in one part of the city, and had to get to another part, I knew which direction to head. At least I could get on the way and have my partner program the GPS. And that's the kind of thing one learns by figuring it out for yourself, by looking at a map.
 
EMSLaw said:
I must shamefacedly admit that I drive around with a little ambulance on my GPS screen. :blush:
Click to expand...

Same here.

I should also note every personal or pre-installed GPS I have ever used works better than the Marvlis system we use on the trucks...
 
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