Boy oh boy, what a cool history lesson, I have never seen such an interesting collection of pretty ambulance trucks. I am truly surprised at just how long some of you have been around!
(We won't talk about what I was doing in 1977. Great year by the way.) I am not using the word Old or at all saying that's a bad thing - I am just saying, it is really neat to see the different possibilities for amb variants. I realize now that even if it seems we've had the same old kit forever, nothing is permanent and the equipment does evolve. Eventually.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a CUCV? And is that new Crash Amb a civvie pattern box truck? Pictures please Heathen for us slow kids.
I was recently doing no-duff coverage out of an LSVW amb, for the first time since going to work on civvie side, and I am seeing that thing with a whole new set of eyes. I had grave misgivings about the deficiencies of the pt care set-up. I think it was mentioned on here about the importance of informing on the difficulties we encounter in trying to perform our duties - I am going to send up my concerns when the new season opens next week. However I also feel a need to emphasize the features that absolutely must change, in order to provide acceptable prehospital care.
OK, I can't figure out how to quote stuff so sorry to repeat points, but here goes:
SUCTION. Battery-powered portable, with adapter to charge in truck, and Wall Mounted. And I'd like to see the V Vac traded for a ResQVac. Reliable, accessible suction, that can actually do the job. There is no excuse for not having what kit we do have on-hand serviceable and with the right accessories - as in more than one Yankauer and proper tubing - but even if my manual and 02 powered kit had been in perfect condition, I still feel they would have been inadequate at protecting the airway of someone held merciless on a backboard.
TRUCK MOUNTED 02 for all pts. Class I intervention for all critical pts, need I say more. (Yes I do, TBI TBI TBI. Did I mention high-flow 02 for all trauma pts??)
2 COTS + 2 LITTERS are a great idea as it is hard to transport in any other posn but supine. I'd like the setup to be more conducive to rolling a boarded pt when vomiting, but I guess with the need for making every amb count (Take as many pts as possible) no variant will get much roomier.
CONNECTION to the driver compartment - not just comms although I'd settle for those over nothing. Serious safety compromise for the crew to not be able to know what's going on front and back, regardless of pt care issues.
Venting, AC and heat - enviro needs to be controlled by the attending. Particularly given our high incidence of enviro illnesses.
Weapon racks in the back. No attending medic should be in the back with a C7 in a perfect world. However I have sat on a loaded rifle. Sh*t happens, so we should just accept it and create proper storage instead of pretending we don't put weapons loose in pt compartments.
Without being able to protect an airway, the rest is just smoke and mirrors. When you get down to the nitty-gritty - when you actually clamber into the back of the LS, and envision how it's going to go down if you need to suction your pt with that Flynn getup - or if you need to roll that pt while off-road and you can't make any contact with your driver - you realize everything else means jacksh*t and ALS skills don't matter if you can't even safely do first aid. Worse than first aid, if you feel you are risking your pt more by transporting them than the original injury would've in the first place.
I agree with all the other features listed, but after having to face the reality of the LS Amb, I am adamant that the safety issues need to be addressed soonest and not just when we move on from the current avail veh's.
This is the time of night when I start to get light-headed from the height and fumes of being up on my soapbox; so I'll sumup. :-X