Washing your rig!

[tcripp]

Our rigs are supposed to get washed before end of shift every night/ morning. Our supervisors even expect us to stay late if we had a late call to wash the truck...

That is interesting. Since the trucks are washed at the end of each shift, if we are on a late night/early morning call - it is expected that the unit will still be washed (weather permitting). HOWEVER, I'd say that 98% of the time, the oncoming crew will step up and either help to get it done or offer to do it completely. Command doesn't want to have to pay the additional $$ for operational when there is another crew on shift capable of getting it done. In 9 months, I've only had one crew NOT offer to do take the truck as is (as well as the station).

Change of topic a bit...incoming crew will also find out where a call is happening to relieve the offgoing crew, if possible, to help them get off shift in a timely manner.

And, yet, another reason why I like my service...

[fakingpatience]

That is interesting. Since the trucks are washed at the end of each shift, if we are on a late night/early morning call - it is expected that the unit will still be washed (weather permitting). HOWEVER, I'd say that 98% of the time, the oncoming crew will step up and either help to get it done or offer to do it completely. Command doesn't want to have to pay the additional $ for operational when there is another crew on shift capable of getting it done. In 9 months, I've only had one crew NOT offer to do take the truck as is (as well as the station).

Change of topic a bit...incoming crew will also find out where a call is happening to relieve the offgoing crew, if possible, to help them get off shift in a timely manner.

And, yet, another reason why I like my service...

Good coworkers make all the difference! Most of the trucks I am on are called "peak cars", and they go out of service at night, so no one to relieve us.

I heard of people's relief going to the hospital if they are stuck there waiting for a bed for a pt, and trading there, and that sounds pretty ideal, if you can't clear the hospital.

Why can't you wash the trucks if the weather is bad? Do you do it outside?

[uglyEMT]

That sounds like awsome crews. Definatly not the norm from what I hear.

I forgot to add about the inside of the rigs.

We wash everything down with a 50/50 bleach water mix when we get back to our building after the call. Also we saniwipe the cot and other objects after each call. In bad weather we mop the floors before going back in service.

As far as other cleaning I always wipe my gear (personal use) after each call. I even swap out my ear pieces at the end of a shift and soak the other pair in disenfectant. I couldn't believe how contaminated they get!! We swabbed them one day and did a culture test and it was eye opening. I am the only one who uses them so i know its from environmental factors and not dirty ears LOL.

Glad to hear others care just as much for their rigs as they do themselves.

[tcripp]

Why can't you wash the trucks if the weather is bad? Do you do it outside?

Yes, washed outside. If it's raining or freezing, it's not really worth the effort.

However, since we are in central Texas and don't see to much of either of those (it's supposed to be 80 today), it's really not much of an issue.

Glad to hear others care just as much for their rigs as they do themselves.

While I'm clean and go the extra step...I know I'm not as anal as others. And, those are the ones I want as my partner!

[Chief1C]

Oh... Citrus II.. Totally discolors vinyl, and trying to cover that up with Armor-All, is a terrible idea. Just sayin'.

[medicgirl05]

My partner washes the outside as deemed necessary and we both clean the inside while doing morning check out. The crew that we reilieve always manages to have blood drops on the floor (we think from starting IVs). Gross! If it is raining we pull the truck out of the bay to let nature wash it! Nah. We kkep our trucks clean, just no rule about who has to do the washing.

[Richard B the EMT]

there was a time, when on my ambulance, tour 1 (midnight) tried to keep the exterior clean, tour 2 (daylight) kept it fueled, and my tour 3 (evenings) kept it stocked. If a large ammount of supplies were used, the team on duty, obviously, restocked, and gross decontamination was addressed by the involved team. We did have the advantage of a bus depot nearby, and if they had the time, would let us use their power-washer, and run the ambulances through the bus-wash.

[Underdawg3ate1]

Some excellent replies! I'm glad I'm not the only "neat freak" out there when it boils down to how our rigs look!

Being I am the "Rig Guy" I can answer this very well LOL

We wash the rigs once a week (low call volume so most of the time the rig is in the bay). I wax the rigs once a month and the full blown detailing is usually done every other month, unless of course my probies need a reality check then its more frequent

Decon is after every call. I would rather spend a few extra minutes at the ED parking lot to decon then cross contaminate the next call because "we were tired".

Other then that I give a full detail 2 times a year and of course before any special duty detail. I will be good for a while since I had it professionally detailed for our WTC Steel Escort.

We handle around 950 calls (more this year), we have dry spells where we will only run one or two calls in a week or two so I like detailing the rigs to pass some time as it does get pretty boring around here at times!

Twice a year I do a full detail inside and out. I go over EVERYTHING except for the engine bay and undercarrage.

Wash, dry, clay, polish, wax x2 the paint, polish and wax all the outside lighting, polish diamond plating, wheels, chrome trim, and dress up any rubber, tires, and plastic moldings. Inside besides routine deconing, sweep/mop the floor, vacume the cab, clean and dress all vinyl pieces (dash, doors, center console), polish and wax the ceiling/sides that are plastic/metal, clean out compartments and under the bench seat. All windows are cleaned inside and out.

Yes I even polish up the antennas.....When I'm bored my OCD kicks in BIGTIME! Like I said before it takes about 3 12 hour days all said and done. I usually do this before open house and our Make A Wish Mothers Day Convoy and then again for the fair season and winter. It sounds like overkill but to me it's well worth it! Rigs costs anywhere from 75k to well over 250k, that's alot of money invested into them, why not keeping them looking like that much!

We wash outside since we have bunker coats and a big bulletin board on boths sides of the bay. I Decon as needed, if we didn't have a messy call, I may go over the back with some disinfectant wipes, equipment used definately gets it.

Rig checks are done every morning, everything accounted for and in stock, o2 topped off if needed (we fill our own bottles here), lights checked for burned out bulbs, body checked for damage, underside checked for fluid leaks, and the engine is checked at the beginning of the week.

Yes, washed outside. If it's raining or freezing, it's not really worth the effort.

However, since we are in central Texas and don't see to much of either of those (it's supposed to be 80 today), it's really not much of an issue.

While I'm clean and go the extra step...I know I'm not as anal as others. And, those are the ones I want as my partner!

Tcripp can you PLEEEEEASE send some of that heat up this way!! It's been below freezing here for the past 2 weeks and now they're calling for a nor'easter to come up the coast on Christmas day!! Uggh is it May yet?? I really miss central Texas!

You'd love me as a partner!

[uglyEMT]

We handle around 950 calls (more this year), we have dry spells where we will only run one or two calls in a week or two so I like detailing the rigs to pass some time as it does get pretty boring around here at times!

Thats about our call volume as well Underdawg3ate1 so i definatly know about the dry spells.

I do full rig checks such as yours once a week (ie bulbs, under carriage, fluids, supplies). I make sure my personel restock whatever was used on the call and keep everything up to the required numbers per the checklist. If we are getting low on a certain supply I get the text message and make the purchase order.

I PM the rigs as per manufacturer recomendations. I use the milage on our call sheets to gauge. We just got all new tires just before winter so I will be good with them for awhile. I can put the tread depth gauge away now.

I have to look into waxing the inside. Might help out on the "messy" calls. I do wash and wipe the insides down, just never thought about waxing. Might have to try it tonight during my shift (at least in an out of sight place to test)

Im liking this thread! I now know I am not crazy

[tcripp]

Tcripp can you PLEEEEEASE send some of that heat up this way!! It's been below freezing here for the past 2 weeks and now they're calling for a nor'easter to come up the coast on Christmas day!! Uggh is it May yet?? I really miss central Texas!

You'd love me as a partner!

Think maybe you could come work here? I don't like the cold...at all!

High today...70...

I have to look into waxing the inside. Might help out on the "messy" calls. I do wash and wipe the insides down, just never thought about waxing. Might have to try it tonight during my shift (at least in an out of sight place to test)

One recommendation of what not to do...don't wipe down the inside with baby oil. It'll put on a shine, but it collects all kinds of grime. No...not me, but one of my partners. Ugh!

I'm liking this thread! I now know I am not crazy

Don't we all have to be a little crazy to be in this biz?