Wrecked my Ambulance

[DrumMedic965]

Well I didn't ... one of the inexperienced EMT's that work for my service did. No one was hurt.

Where I work, the paramedics have assigned ambulances. Since mine was the brand new truck, I was the only one assigned to it. Which, also meant that it was last out the door when BLS crews take trucks. Well, it was being used today because one truck was out of service.

The EMT was driving emergency to the hospital with a patient and an assisting medic from another service in the back. She was navigating traffic, wasn't paying attention, and ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u207/DrumMedic965/4274_82864766571_506221571_2191050_.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u207/DrumMedic965/n506221571_2191051_3673691.jpg

Side-swiped a semi.

I went to the station and looked at it and I think it's mainly cosmetic damage. But, one of the supervisors said the A, B, and C posts are all bent. I didn't get a close look at it because by the time I got there they had it tarped because it's supposed to rain. I'm hoping they total it, as is the director, because if they decide they are going to fix it it'll be gone for months, and then when we do get it back I doubt it'll ever be "right." If they total it we can have a new one a lot quicker. So, who knows.

[nateb21]

I am assuming that all involved were uninjured, so I have to say that is a good thing but definitely sucks to have happen. Hopefully everything works out well and you get your rig back soon!

[MajesticLT03]

women drivers :no:

[DJDarknez]

Of all the things that could be wrecked, it had to be an ambulance in the middle of a transport. Oh, the irony :rotfl:

[DrumMedic965]

Of all the things that could be wrecked, it had to be an ambulance in the middle of a transport. Oh, the irony :rotfl:

At least it wasn't transporting a patient from a vehicle accident ... there would be your irony lol ... or some really bad luck for that patient.

[Bthracer21]

There is even a trailblazer in the pic!:bonk:

Hope they didn't hit that... What kind of ambulances do you guys run (which amb manufacturer or how ever its spelled that I am looking for)? Im sorta partial to Osage and Marque... And I prefer to run in the box styles, atleast when ending up with two providers in the back or an area where it is common to take two pt.s

[DrumMedic965]

There is even a trailblazer in the pic!:bonk:

Hope they didn't hit that... What kind of ambulances do you guys run (which amb manufacturer or how ever its spelled that I am looking for)? Im sorta partial to Osage and Marque... And I prefer to run in the box styles, atleast when ending up with two providers in the back or an area where it is common to take two pt.s

Yep ... that's one of our EMT's TB.

We run Osage vans. I'm not a fan of vans ... but Osage makes a nice ambulance. Our director is very "cost efficient" so we run vans. We have one box that is an older AEV. It will be replaced the end of this year, and I imagine it'll be an Osage box also. The only reason it'll be a box is because we do bariatric transports.

[Bthracer21]

A local company here has two AEV barriatric trucks... One has a lift that slides out for the LARGE pts... the other has a ramp and a mere 2 ton winch.

I dont have any problems with AEV. I like Osage and Marque. Medtecs are a headache, hortons have turned into a headache both because of the way the switches... Its all programmed boards now. I want a toggle switch. this way if I remove something... I can just disconnect a switch. Or if I want to add something I can just cut a new hole and add the switch. Instead you have to program the switch to the appropriate spot on board that actually has that light, bell whistle whatever it is. PL Customs arent too bad and neither are life lines... but the are both a little on the $$side

We have a two vans in service where I work full time, and I hate them:hissy:

[Devilz311]

Hate to see stuff like that happen, but at least it was minor...

Unless the Pt is critical, I make the BLS turn the lights off on the way to the hospital. There's no need to put my life in danger as well, especially the way some of the EMT's around here drive.

[Diablo03]

Hate to see stuff like that happen, but at least it was minor...

Unless the Pt is critical, I make the BLS turn the lights off on the way to the hospital. There's no need to put my life in danger as well, especially the way some of the EMT's around here drive.

around here, a lot of ALS guys turn off the lights on the way to the hospital for that very reason.....

i think most of the code 3 responses around here are going TO the scene....not the hospital.

[DrumMedic965]

I rarely ever respond lights/sirens to the hospital, unless it is an actual life-threatening emergency. It's not worth the risks. There are even times overnight when I'm responding to calls that I don't even turns the lights/siren on if there isn't any traffic.

[Devilz311]

i think most of the code 3 responses around here are going TO the scene....not the hospital.

Try telling that to some of the squads around here... :crazy:

[DrPaul84]

ambulance doesnt look like it has any structural damage, fender and some doors.

As for responding/transporting with no lights/siren i think its a big liability because god forbid something happens, they will pin you an say, well why didnt you have lights/sirens activated. thats almost always the first question you will get when they investigate, they will ask if you had lights an siren on at the time of the accident.

[Devilz311]

As for responding/transporting with no lights/siren i think its a big liability because god forbid something happens, they will pin you an say, well why didnt you have lights/sirens activated. thats almost always the first question you will get when they investigate, they will ask if you had lights an siren on at the time of the accident.

However, statistics show that once you hit that button on the console to turn the lights on, the risk of accidents increase exponentially. Granted, I've only been doing this for 7 years, but I've seen drivers do some completely stupid things with those red & blue lights in the rear-view, even stopping completely dead in the left lane of a 65MPH highway. As long as you aren't driving like an idiot, and are not at fault if in an accident, there NOTHING wrong with driving code 1.

[lynch55]

:ugh:Did you say the female driver of the ambulance wasn't paying attention?

[DrumMedic965]

:ugh:Did you say the female driver of the ambulance wasn't paying attention?

Yes, that is correct. The drivecam caught her looking completely the opposite direction, and the truck she hit was completely stopped.

[DrumMedic965]

As for responding/transporting with no lights/siren i think its a big liability because god forbid something happens, they will pin you an say, well why didnt you have lights/sirens activated. thats almost always the first question you will get when they investigate, they will ask if you had lights an siren on at the time of the accident.

But at the same time you cannot use them without reason. That holds you at a bigger liability if you are driving with lights/siren on and it isn't necessary.

[Devilz311]

The drivecam caught her looking completely the opposite direction, and the truck she hit was completely stopped.

Ohhhh, you have DriveCams....

One place I work has had them installed since DriveCam first came out, and they have payed for themselves time and time again. We've had accidents where the other party was at fault, sued based on her bogus story, and got shut down in court due to the video.

They're also good for some laughs too... :x

[N467RX]

However, statistics show that once you hit that button on the console to turn the lights on, the risk of accidents increase exponentially. Granted, I've only been doing this for 7 years, but I've seen drivers do some completely stupid things with those red & blue lights in the rear-view, even stopping completely dead in the left lane of a 65MPH highway. As long as you aren't driving like an idiot, and are not at fault if in an accident, there NOTHING wrong with driving code 1.

Agree, saw this today, the guy went from 60 to like 10 while in the right lane when he saw some flashing lights (I wasn't responding or anything, I was driving right behind him, but a pickup from the FD was responding)

[Diablo03]

Agree, saw this today, the guy went from 60 to like 10 while in the right lane when he saw some flashing lights (I wasn't responding or anything, I was driving right behind him, but a pickup from the FD was responding)

yesterday i saw a car swerve from left lane to right shoulder (2 lanes) because an ambulance was behind him (code 3).

makes me nervous just being on the road in MO, let alone when there is a ER vehicle responding.

[N467RX]

yesterday i saw a car swerve from left lane to right shoulder (2 lanes) because an ambulance was behind him (code 3).

makes me nervous just being on the road in MO, let alone when there is a ER vehicle responding.
That's just extreme

[ToyBlaze]

yesterday i saw a car swerve from left lane to right shoulder (2 lanes) because an ambulance was behind him (code 3).


Must've been one of 3 hwys... 44, 270, or 141.. idiots..

[JUSTINKP]

I rarely ever respond lights/sirens to the hospital, unless it is an actual life-threatening emergency. It's not worth the risks. There are even times overnight when I'm responding to calls that I don't even turns the lights/siren on if there isn't any traffic.

I totally agree with this. Where I used to work Fire/EMS we rarely ever responded to calls in town emergency. What do you gain by running lights and sirens? Possibly a couple of seconds... Is a couple of seconds really worth it when your putting yourself in more danger and higher risk of an accident when using lights and sirens? It's proven that alot of motorists react the wrong way to lights and sirens which can be a huge hazard. Why take that risk if it isn't needed?

I do agree using lights and sirens to a scene such as a cardiac arrest obviously where time can be a huge factor, but I've seen medic units running emergency to general weakness and flu like symptom calls??

I feel the same way for transporting to the hospital as well. There used to be an EMS service over in the "valley" where I worked that was known for transporting EVERYONE emergency to the hospital. You'd hear a patient report come over the scanner saying patient is complaining of left arm pain and this pain has been going on all day, and you'd hear sirens in the background. Yikes...

[ieatglue]

I say take a sledgehammer to it when no one's around :D