Designing for Safety

HUDSON AREA AMBULANCE
     In May 2007, Hudson Area Ambulance of Hudson, MI, put into service a 2007 medium-duty C4500 Chevy chassis rig, which was custom-built by Marque Inc., out of Elkhart, IN, and was designed with safety in mind. The design includes two captain seats that can face forward and lock with three-point belts while allowing enough space to transport a second patient. All necessary supplies are within arms' reach.

     The curbside entry door has been moved all the way forward for added privacy, with the ALS cabinet with inside access only blocking sight into the patient compartment. There are only two outside compartments: one for backboards, KEDs, traction splints, etc., and the other for miscellaneous equipment, including fire extinguishers and road flares. The unit is equipped with LED warning, brake, tail and turn lights. We also added a second light bar, which is halogen, to the roof of the cab. Regular floodlights on each box side with high-intensity lights provide on-scene lighting.

     Inside the unit, we have an Apollo Road Runner camera system with two cameras in place that feed to a 250Gb hard drive. One camera is mounted inside the patient compartment with the other facing forward from inside the passenger compartment. Viewing this footage, which shows vehicle speed, GPS, right turn, left turn, brake application, as well as warning light and siren activation, can be done on a separate CPU.

     There are two EVS captain-style seats with three-point belts that swivel to forward face. One seat on the curb side of the box allows facing forward, as well as being able to provide patient care while belted. The second is positioned at the head of the cot. From this seat, we can provide airway maintenance, along with suction, while still being belted. The bench seat has been moved to the street side; therefore, two-patient transport is still possible. The suction unit is recessed under the bench with a three-way switch to activate it from either side of the unit.

     With one of the captain seats placed on the curb side, we have also moved all radios, light switches, thermostat, inverter panel, O2 and monitor brackets to the curb side, which are all accessible while facing forward and remaining belted without hindering patient care. To be belted and forward facing while still being able to provide patient care is a huge improvement in vehicle safety.

     Brad Vanderlooven is a paramedic for Hudson Area Ambulance in Hudson, MI.

     By Andrew Isaacs

WINTER PARK FIRE-RESCUE
     The idea for occupant safety started while I worked as a firefighter/paramedic and we responded to a vehicle overturned with entrapment. Upon arrival, we found an unconscious female and an ambulatory male. The male, calm and uninjured at the time, requested to ride with his girlfriend to the hospital. During transport, he suddenly became violent and started punching the ambulance's dash and screaming for us to go faster. I called for police to intercept the ambulance. Within a few minutes, there was a highway patrol car behind us. As I yelled for my driver to stop, I went flying from the back of the ambulance head- first into the curb side stepwell. That's when the Action Safe design was born.

     Years later, a promotion landed me with an ambulance manufacturer. As an EMS supervisor, I was tasked with ordering two new rescue/ambulances. While walking through the plant, I noticed that the ambulances were basically all designed the same, and I thought we must be able to make these units safer and better organized.