Modified New Old Request

[yakc130]

So, as an update to this old thread, http://www.emtcity.com/topic/22275-ambulance-designs-and-specifications/, I now have a new request after our meeting today.

The hospital now wants to make a protocol to guide them, step by step, on how and why to replace ambulances in order to purchase new ones. They are looking for international information that will tell them how often to buy new trucks and why some should be relegated to back up status, and others get scrapped. Also, mileage and time frame examples.

They have no info, or experience about any of this. This will be used by NON EMS PEOPLE (i.e. beareaucrats ) to make the decisions. Hence, the reason that it needs to be a hand-holding, step by step protocol. Almost like a check off list.

They aren't satisfied with what I gave them last time. They want it from actual protocols from other organizations. I guess copying is the highest form of flattery over here.

Any help will be appreciated. Oh, and after sitting for months doing nothing, they now want it right after Eid Al Adha (Hajj) ends on 20 Oct.

Thanks.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I don't think there are any protocols out there that will be helpful for you.

I think more of policy and procedure manual pages would be a better idea. That way they could see what some services have via policies when to purchase, when to sell and various other daily procedures.

And a lot of the time you need to hand hold these types of people or they will go off in a ditch and order you a yugo rather than an ambluance that you need. Leave it to bureaucrats without a road map in front of them they might end up in Tim Buk Tu rather than your station location where you really want them.

Good luck, sounds like you have your hands full.

[island emt]

Hi Doug: I doubt that there is a "protocol " for replacing used units.

I've worked on trucks with 300,000 miles on them that were in pretty good condition, & trucks with 50,000 miles that were complete junkyard material.

With todays modern diesel engines and improved electronics packages they can last longer than in the past.

Your location does have some challenges with the heat and sand environment, but not the corrosion issues some of us have to deal with with snow and road treatment chemicals that eat the underside of the chassis.

A Fleet management rule of thumb is : when the cost of the repairs per year exceeds the value , it's time to go.

With Emergency service vehicles it's more of a reliability factor. We need the vehicles to run every time and when the small items start failing you have to do the maintenance or replace them. planned replacement of components based on failure cycle can help eliminate some of these breakdowns, & in the long term save cost.

[paramedicmike]

I have to agree with my two friends posting above. I don't know of any place that has any formal, written protocol for replacing vehicles. Certainly none of the places I worked had a written policy. Some places use depreciation timelines as a determining method. Others use repair costs. Others held on to vehicles at all costs to the benefit of some pretty skilled mechanics who keep them running.

[yakc130]

I agree 100% with all of you. Unfortunately, that's not the way they operate here. I just saw an email today for a protocol on the proper boxing up and storage of paperwork.

Believe it or not, the guy that is the "facilities executive director" (they just love fancy important sounding titles here) asked why we couldn't extend the life out to FOURTEEN YEARS!!! He didn't understand why if he could do it with his car, we couldn't do it with the ambulances.

I'm really at a loss here. We gave them information about how to do a lot of this. But the way they do things here is by copying examples from other places. They won't be happy unless they see someone elses protocol, or policy procedure manual with their own eyes.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I'll send a couple of emails out to friends at local services to see if they have any insight as to the process/procedure as to when to change out units.

You sound like you are working bureaucratic hell.

[yakc130]

Yeah. That pretty much sums it up. Everyone of them here wants/needs an office that they can sit in to entertain their friends, and have tea and dates. Then they can place their stamp and signature on all of the paperwork they make us generate. This place truly thrives on bureacracy and paperwork. The more paperwork you generate, the harder you must be working, I guess.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

[island emt]

There are services that replace vehicles at 3 years or 150.000 miles and other places that go to 10 or even 15 years with a low call volume and mileage put on them.

I know of a 14 yo type 3 ford chassis that sold from a rural volunteer service with 45,000 miles and factory dealer maintained. It went to a transfer service who put more miles on it the first year than it had over the first 14 yrs of it's life.

Then there are some services that run a truck until it will no longer pass state inspection.