Cheshire Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Bad ambulance driving seems to be a common complaint from the vets on the other forums here. But near as I can tell, the driving course/licensing is only a weekend course. Is that really just to orient the student, and the real training is supposed to be on the job (or in Medic school, perhaps?) Is there another specialized type of driver's license required? In PA we have Commercial class licenses - seems like this is what would be needed as well, in addition to the actual licensing for ambulances. And finally - what do you recommend if the student in question is new to driving IN GENERAL? Aka, someone from a congested metro area where subways/trains were all too common and got their regular old automobile driving was "optional"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crotchitymedic1986 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 the one thing i did with all new EMTs was to place them on a spine board (sheet between them and the board), and strap them to the stretcher (no cspine), and then i proceeded to drive them around the block. I never broke 35mph, but i hit the brakes hard, i accelerated too fast, hit a couple of curbs, and took curves too fast. Another technique is to set a FULL cup of water on a flat surface somewhere in the truck, and tell them to drive without spilling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emtgrimreaper Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 after the course where i run we have a minimum of 6 hours of nothing but drive an out of service ambulance. this is to get the driver used to the area. then you are paired up with drivers to show you what is actually done while an emergency is happening,(driving, parking and etc). then and only then can you be approved to drive where i am. besides in PA you don't need a commercial license. all you need is for someone to say you can drive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p3medic Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 No special license required, some agencies require no additional drivers training, mine does EVOC with annual recert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolfmanHarris Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 The Ontario "F" class driver's license is required to drive an Ambulance and a small van or bus holding no more than 24 people and not used for school purposes. While it's a commercial license, there is no requirement in the driving test that covers the emergency operations part, making the special license next to useless in terms of EVOC. That brings me back to the training we receive in school. In two years of school we spend half a day in car doing "advanced driving" with a high performance instructor and a single semester class on the operational side of the job. This includes the Ambulance, radios, CANUTEC and many other subjects. This is not enough focus on what is still a very large portion of our job and arguably the most dangerous part. Might be time to add CDE on top of our CME requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BushyFromOz Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 we use a set of driving standard that was devloped by a consultative company on behalf of several ambulance services. An over view of the "course" is found here Driver Competancy Standards For Ambulance Services This is just the "theory" part, the actual presentation to unductees consists of units 1-4 consisting of only non-emerg categories and driving practice is based on slow speed maneuvreing such as reversing, parking etc etc. BIG emphasis is placed on stable platform driving, learning vehicle blind spots, scanning ahead, maintaining crash avoidance space and safe braking as well as the safety features built into the various types of vehicle we will be using. 6 months is spent on the road practicing the non emerg "low risk driving", and there is an absolute 6 month ban on students doing any emerg driving. After 6 months,the 5th module is presented dealing with decision making in regards to where to place vehicles on the road (both stationary and driving) and negotiate congested intersections (i.e everyone stops before you enter it, or at least acknawledges your presence) All of this is done under the name of "quick low risk" and is barely any different than normal "low risk" driving. After this, we are supposed to do X number (escapes me at this time) of emerg drives and then be signed off by a driving standards facilitator who witness's your emerge driving. All of this is kept in a driving standards log book. there is also a requirement that you undertake familiarisations with vehicles that you have not yet been trainined on before using them, and this is signed by a driving instructor. There is also a 6th unit i have not had to do dealing with 4x4 ambulances Bit of a mouthful but it gives a general idea of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestSideBorderPatrol Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 My private company only requires you to be over 18, have your license for at least 2 years, and under 3 points I believe. Also, drivers watch an "EZ EVOC" video (which is a joke, btw. But i guess its all that insurance requires) and then drive an OOS unit 2 separate times with 2 different instructors so that you can learn the unit and how it handles. All of our units are equipped with a DriveCam system, so just knowing that its there to rat you out, you tend to drive on the cautious side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 My private company only requires you to be over 18, have your license for at least 2 years, and under 3 points I believe. Also, drivers watch an "EZ EVOC" video (which is a joke, btw. But i guess its all that insurance requires) and then drive an OOS unit 2 separate times with 2 different instructors so that you can learn the unit and how it handles. All of our units are equipped with a DriveCam system, so just knowing that its there to rat you out, you tend to drive on the cautious side. That's the concern then. My boyfriend is only NOW getting his "real" driver's license, so he has no verifiable driving history dating back that far (though obviously, it's going to be clean when he starts out). If the insurance companies themselves won't accept him, is it even possible to get hired as an EMT? Or get the required ambulance time while in medic school, if THEIR insurance forbids him behind the wheel? I can understand the restrictions - not complaining about them - but if this will be an issue then we may have to rethink this as an educational/career opportunity until down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenac Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 That's the concern then. My boyfriend is only NOW getting his "real" driver's license, so he has no verifiable driving history dating back that far (though obviously, it's going to be clean when he starts out). If the insurance companies themselves won't accept him, is it even possible to get hired as an EMT? Or get the required ambulance time while in medic school, if THEIR insurance forbids him behind the wheel? I can understand the restrictions - not complaining about them - but if this will be an issue then we may have to rethink this as an educational/career opportunity until down the road. While doing ambulance time in Paramedic school he will be in the patient compartment not behind the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamaith Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 i got my official drivers license in jan of '08 took evoc in june of '08 then got hired by a private company and 2wks later i was driving an ambulance. my evoc course was in a school parking lot not on the street, unfortunaltly . i naturally tend to drive slow i've been in the back with some who are driving over the speed limit and pt's and myself are bouncing up and down. i do say something to the driver tell him/her to slow down. i think some don't realize that when you are in the back you feel every bump and Lord knows there are a ton of pot wholes and divits in the street where i am. i like the idea of putting the emt in the back so they got an idea of what if feels like when you go fast or hit the breaks etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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