Side load ambulance

[mobey]

Even parked on the side of the street on a day like today, You would either be standing in 2 feet of snow, or the middle of an icy street to load your patient.

[afd1307]

my service uses 2 brauns along with 2 pl customs. i love the brauns. i know this is a little off topic, but those sliding side doors are awesome. it also works well when going into narrow streets. if what my boss told me is correct, the sliding door was originally used in san francisco because of their narrow streets.

[afd1307]

My apologies for posting back to back, but now that I think about it, a side loading ambulance might be a little safer. Bare with me as I flesh this out.

Pulling up to an accident scene on the side of the highway. The patient would be covered from traffic as long as the accident was on the same side as the door. This would get rid of the need to put the patient in the way of traffic.

On MCI's the ambulances could park much closer together, taking up less space and allowing quicker load and go situations.

The need for backing up would nearly be eliminated (except for backing into the station) as pulling up to the ambulance bay would not require backing up to the loading dock, but instead driving up to it.

These are just a few things that I thought about. The interior is a completely different thing that could be discussed. Also, everything would need to be redesigned for it to work. Hindsight is always 20/20, as maybe we should have gone to side load ambulances at the start, yet were taking over hearses and cadillacs for ambulances before the boxes were introduced.

[Dustdevil]

Interesting points. Although, I think this one is the only one that really bears fruit:

The need for backing up would nearly be eliminated (except for backing into the station) as pulling up to the ambulance bay would not require backing up to the loading dock, but instead driving up to it.

On a scene, I don't see how it keeps you out of traffic. At an MVA, you ought to be parking ahead of the accident anyhow, not beside it or behind it. So, you should already be out of traffic in most cases. Parking next to the accident is the worst of all places to park, as it puts you that much closer to the fast lane with no protection behind you. And loading from the side would put you personally out in a lane of traffic, or in the ditch, or against the guardrail in most cases. Loading from the side increases your traffic exposure, no matter where you park. It does not in any conceivable way decrease it, unless you are parking sideways, and loading from the forward door, and that would be pretty iffy protection, still leaving your vehicle in the face of traffic, where it should not be.

In an MCI it wouldn't seem to make any difference either. If you are lining ambulances up, nose to tail, and using the side load as a way to bunch them up closer, then you have no room for one to leave if another is ahead of it. Not to mention, trying to leave the line while other ambulances are still ahead of you is a recipe for disaster. Somebody's going to get run over with all that in-and-out weaving. The transportation officer should not be allowing it.

[AZCEP]

At an MCI, you could still park them side by side. You'd just have to make sure that everyone had their doors open. Move the patient through however many ambulances until they get to the one on the end with their door closed.

Sounds sort of Wile E. Coyote, but it could be done.

[Richard B the EMT]

On a scene, I don't see how it keeps you out of traffic.

Parking next to the accident is the worst of all places to park, as it puts you that much closer to the fast lane with no protection behind you. And loading from the side would put you personally out in a lane of traffic, or in the ditch, or against the guardrail in most cases. Loading from the side increases your traffic exposure, no matter where you park. It does not in any conceivable way decrease it, unless you are parking sideways, and loading from the forward door, and that would be pretty iffy protection, still leaving your vehicle in the face of traffic, where it should not be.

If you are lining ambulances up, nose to tail, and using the side load as a way to bunch them up closer, then you have no room for one to leave

Dust seems to be expounding on some of the points I already mentioned.

I think most of us know about the ambulettes, AKA "Wheelchair Coaches". When I was still working my last private company, we had vans equipped with foldaway ramps, some on the side doors, others on the rear doors (personal preference was the side doors, as I wanted the visibility of the unblocked rear windows. As for the actual ramps, there was, to me, no real difference in the ease, or lack of, while loading/unloading)

I had a pickup at a facility where I usually didn't go to. You wouldn't believe the grief I got, because I had to take up 3 spots while parallel parked, as opposed to all the other drivers who just backed in.

Now what? Separate parking areas at the Emergency Room ambulance loading docks, for rear load, left side load, and right side load?

[dahlio]

To add to all this discussion, I don't believe an ambulance like this would meet federal KKK standards. So it's out of the question for now.

[Richard B the EMT]

Dahlio, could you elaborate as to why it is not covered under KKK-A-1822(whatever letter we are up to now)?

[dahlio]

Dahlio, could you elaborate as to why it is not covered under KKK-A-1822(whatever letter we are up to now)?

One reason:

This length in the compartment shall provide at least 64 cm (25 in.) and not more than

76 cm (30 in.) of unobstructed space at the head of the primary patient, measured from the face

of the backrest of the EMT seat to the forward edge of the cot.

It's hard to believe that there's that much room between the door and the cot. Plus, in this spec, it's believed to have a captain's chair, for a healthcare provider to provide airway maintenance while seated.

And you could probably argue

A crash stable side or center mounting cot fastener assembly with quick release latch shall be furnished.

Since it's neither to the left, or in the center.

Obviously there would be modifications to the KKK specs if this were a feasible alternative. Like I said before, I don't like it. Specifically for the airway maintenance space (or lack-there of), and due to the loading restrictions. It's also weird it was brought out at a fire convention.... what do they need an ambulance for? :roll:

[Richard B the EMT]

I believe you have a more recent copy of the triple K standards than do I. Thanks.