EVOC recertification, a necessary evil?

[mako77]

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My agency requires EVOC to operate emergency apparatus be it recue unit

or fire unit. No requirment for upgrade training unless you are involved in a accident. If damage or injury results from crash the accident review board will most definately send you back to 16hrs. EVOC.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

For those services who dont require annual or biannual retrainings, should they?

[SWVAEMT]

For those services who dont require annual or biannual retrainings, should they?

IMHO not without specific reason: accident, change in EVOC curriculum, person hasn't driven in X months, etc

[island emt]

Our state requires any regular operator of an ambulance to have taken the state certified 16 hour AVOC course before driving an ambulance . There is a waiver for those folks such as a firefighter or deputy who might be called upon to drive while the crew is working in the back such as a trauma or code call. Our department SOG's require all personnel who operate any dept. vehicles to also take a 12 hour annual driver training course. This applies to ambulances or fire trucks, and you must take + pass the cone course in every vehicle that you will be certified to drive. This course is following the guidelines from VFIS , our insurance carrier, who supply a complete training manual with videos + powerpoint presentations + written testing materials. They have an excellent risk management package of training programs available from their website. VFIS.com

[csr]

My current job doesn't require EVOC. My previous job, city fire department, didn't require it but I attended 2 day training with a Mutual Aid Department on my off days. Some good training there.

My thoughts? I pushed our Fire Department to have EVOC training at least for the new hires. No luck. The Officers, Chief, had the attitude that if you can drive a car or pickup truck you can drive a 20 foot long truck carrying 1000 gallons of water and a ton of equiptment. :shock: I don't work there anymore.

I think it should be a yearly class and certification.

[bandaidpatrol]

I've been driving ambulances for over 50 years, and I've never had the EVO course. It was never a requirement. I did have "Defensive Driving for the Ambulance Attendant" in 1969.

[Dustdevil]

I have never taken an EVOC, so I ask this question out of complete ignorance.

Is EVOC ever changing and evolving to such an extent that a refresher would be necessary for somebody who is practicing full time? I mean, ACLS and such thing are constantly evolving and require frequent refreshers. But it seems to me that EV operations is a pretty constant field without frequent or major changes that people would need to update upon. In that case, I think recertifications are pointless for the actively practicing professional. I mean, I could pretty well sum up all of the necessary points for new EV operators in less than a page, and they have been the same for thirty years.

Anybody familiar enough with it to enlighten me on why recertification should be necessary?

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

I have never taken an EVOC, so I ask this question out of complete ignorance.

Is EVOC ever changing and evolving to such an extent that a refresher would be necessary for somebody who is practicing full time? I mean, ACLS and such thing are constantly evolving and require frequent refreshers. But it seems to me that EV operations is a pretty constant field without frequent or major changes that people would need to update upon. In that case, I think recertifications are pointless for the actively practicing professional. I mean, I could pretty well sum up all of the necessary points for new EV operators in less than a page, and they have been the same for thirty years.

Anybody familiar enough with it to enlighten me on why recertification should be necessary?

Your 100% correct in most aspects. EVOC, for the most part has changed minimally in the past 8 years ive been whacking, and im sure over the past twenty years you've been floating around.

But, considering how lacksadaisical many people can be, would refresher courses be helpful?

For the most part, I believe services are requiring regular refreshers to get the documentation for a premium break on auto insurance, btw....

[island emt]

PRPG is correct : one of the reasons we require annual training & recert is to keep our insurance ratings , which translates into lower premiums than comparable departments. It also is a great way to remind every operator what the state statutes require of us in order to drive emergency vehicles. As risk manager it also allows me to observe such skills as backing + use of mirrors. sure a lot of it is repetitive but i found that the guy who kept mowing down cones while backing up through the course had a depth perception issue which after a trip to the ophthalmologist for care was resolved. he didn't realize there was a problem until the cone course. i kept wondering where all the scuffed sidewalls were coming from, now i know

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

PRPG is correct : one of the reasons we require annual training & recert is to keep our insurance ratings , which translates into lower premiums than comparable departments. It also is a great way to remind every operator what the state statutes require of us in order to drive emergency vehicles. As risk manager it also allows me to observe such skills as backing + use of mirrors. sure a lot of it is repetitive but i found that the guy who kept mowing down cones while backing up through the course had a depth perception issue which after a trip to the ophthalmologist for care was resolved. he didn't realize there was a problem until the cone course. i kept wondering where all the scuffed sidewalls were coming from, now i know

Exactly. I just find it funny that we recert CPR yearly, which we cant do any harm if we foul up,....but allow any 19 year old yahoo to barrel a 1/2 ton apparatus in the wrong lane of traffic to pick up the town drunk with chest pain.

Does this make sense? ummmm, no.

(over-dramatized for point illustration)

Spell checked for your pleasure, 1 mistake found, not fixed, because I dont give a s*%t