Seatbelt Usage

[Ridryder 911]

I always wear them in the front and never in the back. I usually am moving around.

R/r 911

[MedicRN]

If it's a long distance/non-critical transfer, I generally sit in the Captain's chair (don't do well riding sideways) with the seatbelt on. When I'm in active patient care, I'm on the bench with no restraint. If we have an orienting BLS person, I'm in the Captain's chair with the seatbelt on. In the cab, the belt is always on. I feel naked without one.

[Testimony]

As a teenager, a seatbelt saved me (driver - no passengers) from being the fatality in a rollover (severe enough the Chief of Police took it upon himself to talk to by parents and indicated that if it weren't for the belt, I would have been killed). Overnight observation in the hospital and sent home - no injuries.

Also as a teenager, a seatbelt again prevented severe facial and chest trauma from the steering wheel when I slammed head-on into an embankment. [/Testimony]

[SSG G-man]

Always on the way to call. Wear it when I can in transport.

Wish there was a better system, but I can not think of one.

Sarge

[Defiant1]

my place has always been in the back of the rig, and the ONLY times i haven't worn a seat belt in the back of the rig is when i am getting something from a cabinet, stuff like that, otherwise i always wear it. also, ever since Carolyn was killed in that car accident on march 8, 2005, i have worn a seat belt when i take a car to do my paper route, even if i only have to move the car 20 ft, it may have even helped keep me from having to go for a ride in the ambulance when i had ran into that log truck.

[weasel 108]

I always wear the seatbelt when I ride in the front. Years ago, when I did routine transports,I would wear the seatbelt in the back of the truck. But for the past 4 yrs I have not been wearing one in the back of the truck,so I'm guilty. :?

[medik8]

It seems like I've posted my thoughts on this before somewhere....maybe on the one that discussed a restraint system....don't remember.... anyway...

Are you kidding me? I ALWAYS wear my seatbelt. I put it on when I get in the truck before we leave. I definitely wear it home from the hospital, ALWAYS. And in between, for patient care, I buckle every chance I get. I agree, it is a pain and it is difficult to do sometimes, but I still do it. This may mean putting it on and taking it off a million times...but I see no other way. Now, obviously, if my patient is really bad and I'm moving around a lot, then of course, I can't. However, any other situation, I wear it when I can. I would certainly hate for my family and friends to think that I COULD have survived the all-too-often ambulance crashes if I had only worn my seatbelt.

In addition, anything bulky laying around on the floor gets stowed before we go en-route to the hospital. If the jump bag just got thrown in the back of the truck and is on the floor, I direct my partner to properly stow it in the cabinet, etc...before we move. I don't want 50 lb torpedos full of drugs, airway and IV equipment to smack anyone in the head should we have an accident. Not to mention, even a small bang up can cause this stuff to fly and cause injuries that wouldn't have possibly occurred otherwise in a minor collision.

Safety is #1 to me. I'm not just saying that. I love my family and friends...and I'm not even close to ready to check out...

Please be careful, everyone...just talking about this stuff gives me the heebeejeebees... :shock:

xoxoxo :wink:

Love,

8

[Dustdevil]

In addition, anything bulky laying around on the floor gets stowed before we go en-route to the hospital.

Excellent point. Always keep all loose equipment fore of you. My knee is farked today because the Lifepak hit it at 60 mph from the squad bench.

And don't even think of transporting a patient with a monitor or oxygen tank between their legs or on the cot next to them. That's a moron move.

[SSG G-man]

Rode with a couple of Medics who seat belt the lifepack in so it can not go anywhere.

[JPINFV]

^

I wonder what it would take to create an infant car seat style holder for monitors. You have a base that stays seatbelted to either a spot on the bench seat or to the captains chair. A frame that goes arour the monitor (doesn't have to be heavy, just enough to secure it) that locks into the base. Get to the hospital and you just push a button to release it and take it with you.

[BEorP]

We don't have a lot of wide open runs at calls, mainly cramped major city streets. And yes I know that doesn't make a difference, but I have never heard of a paramedic being killed here when in the ambulance after getting into an accident (and yes, I know that doesn't matter either).

I don't mean to hijack the thread but it sure seems like fatal ambulance crashes are much much more common in the U.S.

When riding out I buckle up in the front but not the back. This is the same as most of the medics I've ridden with (never have I seen them buckle up in the back).