Driver Training

[AMESEMT]

So I was wondering if anyone knows of a training class to drive the ambulance in Missouri or Iowa? I know to some this might sound a little.....stupid. But I understand an ambulance can be a dangerous vehicle in the hands of an inexperienced person. I don't want to be that person. I want to know how to operate an ambulance while in the drivers seat safely. Thanks for any help/advice. I did try to find something through google but with no luck.

[dahlio]

Look up a CEVO (Certified Emergency Vehicle Operator) II Ambulance class. I'm sure it's a nationwide class. Theres also a class called EVOC. Don't remember what it stands for, but it's pretty much the same thing as CEVO, from what I heard.

Edit: I also took a look online to help find you something, but nothing really turned up. Ask your department head, and I'm sure they will be able to hook you up with a class.

[katbemeEMT-B]

Contact your state licensing board. They should have a list of certified EVOC and CEVO II instructors in your area. I live in Minnesota about two hours north of the Iowa border, and we received our training through South East Region EMS. You can find information on the CEVO II class we went through at www.coachingsysytems.com. My other suggestion is along with the driving course, do ride alongs and practice driving.

The main thing to remember is that what ever you feel in the front as the driver is intensified about 100 times in the back for your partner and patient. My boss explained it to me this way, the drivers butt should never move in the seat when maneuvering the truck and that's when you know you are driving with your partners comfort in mind.

[Just Plain Ruff]

One of the best medics I ever worked with taught me everything I needed to know about driving with the medic in back

They put me on the cot first, drove like you should when you have a patient. Once that was over then he drove me like many new emt's drove and I damn near came off the cot.

Then he put a rescue annie on the cot, had me do cpr on her with the above driving steps.

This cured me of my Rescue randy mentality real quick.

[WestSideBorderPatrol]

The private service that I work for uses the Smith System. Look it up. It's not specifically for EMS but it's more about safe vehicle handling in general. After you go through the Smith System you go through EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operation Class).

[iMac]

Way back when I went to school, it was mandatory for us to take out NAPD which was ridiculous. The ideas they had behind the course were good but no one learned anything. A full day that was wasted I will never get back.

Unless it is something that your work requires, dont waste time taking driving courses.

[brentoli]

One of the best medics I ever worked with taught me everything I needed to know about driving with the medic in back

They put me on the cot first, drove like you should when you have a patient. Once that was over then he drove me like many new emt's drove and I damn near came off the cot.

Then he put a rescue annie on the cot, had me do cpr on her with the above driving steps.

This cured me of my Rescue randy mentality real quick.

I know this isn't an EVOC certified course.... but, it works. We do that with all of our newbies that have a hard time catching on. I've never seen it not work. Easy way to knock that little light bulb on.

[firedoc5]

We've had defensive driving classes. They put you in old state trooper cars and you go through different courses. Skids, power breaking, on/off road, etc. It's more or less the same instruction as the test drivers for General Motors take. It's a blast.

The first time we took it was to learn. The second time some of us took it again for kicks and giggles.

[medic511]

EVOC (emergency vehicle operator course) is a US-DOT curriculum course and, as taught in Fla anyway, is more or less two days, one day (or evening) in the classroom, then another day on a driving course. I think the concept of a "course" was good but much of what is taught does not translate into safe or patient-helpful skills. You learn how to check fluid levels, tires, etc. Stuff that most adults know anyway. You also learn some of the physics behind vehicle dynamics, like coefficient of fraction between tires and wet versus dry concrete, etc. You learn how to back up, and follow a marshaller's directions, and stop within 12 inches of a cone without touching it. All good skills, but not the real meat in my opinion.

The real "meat" is learning that when running code and there or two vehicles in front of you, it is likely that the farthest from you will pull over to the right and the one right in front of you will pull to the left to pass the first vehicle, just about the time you are trying to pass it. (A common cause of wrecks.) You will learn that the vehicle right in front of you that has not shown the slightest inclination to yield to you is probably operated by a nearly deaf, half blind dear old lady who is now frightened ^&*less by your lights and siren and so she slams on the brakes.

In terms of patient care, you should learn that in almost every really life-threatening critical call, smoothness in back is preferable to speed. This is because if the patient is really critical, may interventions are likely needed and the caregivers can't do well when they are holding on with one hand and fighting gravity and centrifugal and other forces. Gentle acceleration, a smooth transition into braking, and gradually letting up on the brakes when braking is no longer needed are essential. Easing into and out of curves helps greatly too.

As the driver, think of a raw egg (still in its shell) sitting on a book lying on the cot. Drive like you need to keep that egg sitting on the book. You know that many drivers are idiots, many are yapping on their cell phones, arguing with their spouses, and that some are substance impaired. You have to plan and expect them to do the least helpful, most stupid things. They guys and gals in the back are responsible only for one life, as the driver you are responsible for the lives of the patient, all the caregivers in the back, your own life, and the lives of each and every driver, passenger, bicyclist, and pedestrian you pass on the way to the ER.

Like the other guy said, I learned all the real "meat" of driving an ambulance from my partners not in class.