Safer - More Functional Ambulance Design

[Christopher.Collins]

Marque Ambulances...

They're well aware of our severe dissatisfaction with their product..

Thanks for the heads up... though we mostly use AEV and Lifeline around this area. How much did they set you back? I mean what was the cost of the overhead cabinets alone... if you know.

~~~~~

One feature Im torn about is the side sliding door on the box. We have it on both of our rigs and I like it because it allows for easy access in tight areas, and also you dont have to worry about opening it on someone walking by or (depending on where and how your parked some idiot driver flying by. What I dont like about it is if you open it, and that one time your not paying attention someone flys by and clips you. Its one thing to have the door torn off prompting you not to step out :twisted: but if the idiot driver dosnt see the door opening well then your taking place of that door. But since this is a perfect world and everyone pays attention to what they are doing, and the amulance drive parks in a safe manner, thats typically nothing to worry about lol.

Another feature Im very fond of is that almost every surface in the back is writable and we carry a bunch of dry erase markers. Additionally the window on the passenger side has a sliding shutters that are both white boards. What I like about that... I dont have to fumble with the laptop or clip board to take notes. So thats two items that wont get cross contaminated, two items that wont fly around and slam into my patient or myself, dont have to worry about stabbing myself or anyone else with a pen going over a bump and it keeps me from doing my paperwork instead of caring for my patient. Its not so much a direct safety feature but I do consider it indirect.

[Richard B the EMT]

I have seen one thing on a duo of local ambulances that I ask commentary on: Door glass that goes opaque when the doors close, presumably for patient privacy.

Anyone have them? If the ambulance loses power, do the windows go clear, or go opaque? Can you see out of them from the inside? Can they be switched to clear when there is no patient on board? How much additional do they cost?

Anyone have answers, or even other questions?

[CBEMT]

I have seen one thing on a duo of local ambulances that I ask commentary on: Door glass that goes opaque when the doors close, presumably for patient privacy.

Anyone have them? If the ambulance loses power, do the windows go clear, or go opaque? Can you see out of them from the inside? Can they be switched to clear when there is no patient on board? How much additional do they cost?

Anyone have answers, or even other questions?

I have them at both of my jobs. It's controlled by a button near the side door and on the action wall panel. We don't have them set to automatically go on or off, except when the truck is shut down- then they go opaque. They are somewhat more susceptible to electrical faults with the truck, but then again we have Hortons- all they are is electrical faults. In our experience if there is an electrical problem, the windows will stay opaque until it is fixed. When they are opaque, you can not see from the inside out.

Both units were purchased as demos, so I have no idea what they actually cost as an option.

I like em.

[JPINFV]

For the patient privacy windows, I like what my company has set up on the two main units. We have a set of window graphics like these with a star of life on a white background (matches the base paint color) on the back two windows. The graphic has a ton of tiny holes in it so it doesn't obstruct looking out any more than a light window tint would while you can't see in from the rear.

[Chief1C]

I dunno how much the cabinet was. The ambulance itself, was probably over $130,000.00. We order them custom, so the mod is always the same. Well.. They were always the same. That's a big set back, I agree with the removal, but we lost storage space. I'd like to see some sort of new, safer, way to hang people from ceiling bars to carry three or four, non critical stretchered patients...with out buying a Cadillac and greasing some public official to make them legal again.

[Richard B the EMT]

Wow. I had forgotten "Hanging Hardware", which enabled so equipped Caddylances to transport 4 stretcher patients while not doing any active patient care than O2 therapy.

Due to the way the laws, rules, and protocols are written nowadays, I don't think, even if we were to put the hardware into our type 1s, 2s and 3s, we'd be allowed to do such. I think the way I do it nowadays, one has to be able to take "active" care of at least one patient while enroute, which for crews like I work, means one tech or Paramedic in the back under normal circumstances.

[spenac]

Our new Type 1 ambulances all have hangers. We still hang even some in bad shape because only other choice is leave them. Thats not an option.

[mobey]

http://www.paramedicweb.info/ipb/index.php?showtopic=4354

I hope it is not against rules to post to another forum?

[Richard B the EMT]

The other forum didn't recognize me, and would not let me see whatever you tried to show.

[mobey]