There seems to be a prevalent attitude throughout EMS that puts emergency vehicle operator training almost as an afterthought. If you scan through any of the major EMS magazines, rarely do they devote space for an article, let alone devote an issue to one of the most deadly issues facing the “average” EMT today. Rarely, if ever, are there speakers at State EMS conventions that discuss emergency vehicle operations safety issues.

Vehicle operator negligence is one vital area of EMS when the EMT can be held personally and criminally liable, with penalties including huge fines and sometimes prison time…all for “doing my job”. Providing questionable patient care usually results in nothing more than a talk with the medical director, but being found guilty of negligently operating the emergency vehicle resulting in injuries or death and now there’s court costs to pay, attorney fees and possible prison time. If you can’t afford to invest the time now to train, how will you have the time it takes to defend yourself (or your agency) in court, not to mention the monetary costs?

The following are factual statistics relating to deaths in a vehicle while at work. The occupational fatality rate for the general public is 2:100,000, firefighters; 4.5:100,000, law enforcement; 6.7:100,000, but EMS is 12.7:100,000 (according to NHTSA FARS reports). This means that 12.7 of every 100,000 EMT’s die in a vehicle crash while performing their duties with the ambulance. Just three years ago EMS’ number was 9.6; this is a 30% increase to the present 12.7. The most dangerous aspect of our job remains responding to and returning from a call.

Now let’s look at who is dying in these ambulance crashes. Almost 78% of the deaths occur in the OTHER vehicle, 17% are occupants in the patient compartment of the ambulance, 4.5% are the emergency vehicle operator and 2% of pedestrians are killed. Our ambulances result in more deaths and injuries than all other EMS related incidents combined!

We may be saving more patients with our ever increasing basic and advanced patient care skills but let it not be at the cost of training on our vehicle skills. Ambulances must remain life saving transportation vehicles.

Until we raise our professional conduct in every aspect of our duties, the public isn’t likely to respond positively, and we remain “ambulance drivers”. Beginning with professional emergency vehicle operations is a logical first step to gain and keep respectability. When an ambulance races through the middle of town at 60 mph, the public can rightly question the maturity and judgment of the vehicle operator. We drive a mobile billboard with our agency name in bold lettering on the side. What image are your ambulances and the way they are operated being portrayed to the public? In some communities where the local EMS service is sponsored by tax dollars, this image can make or break the service.

Professional athletes become professional and stay that way by regularly practicing the basic skills of their trade. Emergency vehicle operations are no different. Learning and practicing basic skills involve an investment in time and money that can result in huge dividends, with a side benefit of reduced repair and maintenance costs for the agency.

I have heard directly and indirectly “It won’t happen to me” so many times I get nauseated. This attitude of sticking our head in the sand to avoid it, NEVER WORKS. Providers and Agencies that are progressive rather than reactive are the true professionals that take pride in their service and their training. Those Providers and Agencies looking to “just get by” often do, “just get by”. What other areas are they “just getting by” with?

Facts are facts and by their very nature can not lie. I challenge you to look at these facts and draw your own conclusions.

Here’s our emergency vehicle safety tip for the month. When coming to a stop, slowly apply the brakes in a manner that neither you nor the occupant can feel the vehicle has come to a stop. Practice this technique with your personal vehicle and you’ll be amazed how it can become a habit very quickly.

Till we meet again, “Keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel”.