Emergency Medical Services Safety Ambulance on Display
September 28, 2007—Denver—A “first of its kind”
ambulance, designed with 21st century safety technology,
will be on public display in Denver at the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment at 4300 Cherry
Creek Drive South on Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Durango Fire and Rescue Authority will use the newly
designed ambulance built by American Emergency Vehicles to
better protect patients and emergency medical technicians by
ensuring that everyone and everything is restrained when the
ambulance is moving.
National studies have identified the dangers facing
emergency medical services professionals when they are
responding to, or transporting patients from, emergency
calls and using the lights and sirens. Unrestrained
occupants are more than four times more likely to be injured
or killed as a result of a collision than occupants who are
restrained.
“Safety is the No. 1 priority of both the department and
the State Emergency Medical and Trauma Services Advisory
Council as we look to develop and improve patient
transportation in Colorado,” said James Martin, executive
director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, which administers the state’s Emergency Medical
Services and Trauma Services Program. Last fall, the
department hosted a display of a safety concept ambulance
jointly developed by American Medical Response and American
Emergency Vehicles. That concept vehicle was developed as
part of research being conducted to reduce safety risks in
the emergency medical services industry.
This year, Durango Fire and Rescue Authority has moved
that safety concept vehicle into reality by incorporating
many of the features of the concept ambulance into an
operational ambulance that will begin answering calls in
southwestern Colorado within the next month. The result is
an ambulance with safer design features that not only better
protect the patient, but also enhance the health care
provider’s ability to provide care while being securely
restrained during vehicle movement.
“It became clear that any major design changes to the
patient compartment would be custom and experimental,” said
Scott Sholes, emergency medical services chief of Durango
Fire and Rescue Authority. “These major internal design
changes included moving the squad bench to the transverse
position across the bulkhead, having the crew seats equipped
with six-point harness systems, and having four
fully-restrained crew/passenger positions in the patient
compartment.”
The vehicle also has highly reflective striping and a
highly visible rear chevron pattern, as well as external
cameras allowing the driver to see blind spots. The
display of this safety ambulance comes at a time when the
State Emergency Medical and Trauma Services Advisory Council
is taking several approaches toward improving ambulance
safety. The Transportation Committee of the advisory council
is dealing directly with patient transport issues, and the
advisory council’s Resource Committee continues to enhance
the provider grants program so it includes payment for
safety features on vehicles. The Durango ambulance
features numerous innovations that protect emergency medical
technicians, patients, other motorists and pedestrians from
injury. Innovations in the safety ambulance include the
following:
- crew seats, equipment and supplies positioned for
optimal patient care while using restraints
- crew seats that have six-point harness systems
- four fully-restrained crew/passenger positions in the
patient compartment
- squad bench moved to transverse position across the
bulkhead
- integrated child safety seat mounted to the bulkhead
bench facing rearward
- attendant seat that swivels to multiple locking
positions for fully restrained access
- built-in mechanisms for restraining all equipment
- switch panels, oxygen and suction accessible from all
crew seats
- safety restraint nets
- highly reflective striping covering all compartment
doors
- internal and external flashing lights on all compartment
doors
- highly visible rear chevron pattern
hydraulic oxygen lift system- external cameras allowing
the driver to see blind spots
The safety ambulance will
stop in Denver Oct. 2 as it travels to Durango, where it
will become part of the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority
fleet.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
is located at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South and no
appointment is necessary to see the safety vehicle.
For more information about the Emergency Medical and
Trauma Services Section or the State Emergency Medical and
Trauma Services Advisory Council, please visit
www.coems.info. For questions, please contact the Emergency
Medical and Trauma Services Section at 303-692-2987. --30-- |
