WASHINGTON — Ambulance safety resources from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) aim to reduce the injury and fatality rate of EMS personnel, which is three times greater than the average in any other occupation.
The Ambulance Patient Compartment Human Factors Design Guidebook, recommends improved physical design standards and the Research Study of Ambulance Operations and Best Practice Considerations for Emergency Medical Services Personnel, addresses operational procedures and practices while operating an ambulance.
“In the rush to deliver care and get a patient to the hospital, first responders often place their own safety on the line,” said Dr. Robert Griffin, DHS Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology.
“By developing and releasing these resources, we can address key design concerns and training needs to ensure patients and EMS professionals are transported safely.”
The documents for EMS leaders, professionals and organizations pull from several existing resources and data. S&T and its partners developed the best practices to give localities a consolidated resource that can inform standard operating procedures and processes that many EMS organizations are lacking. Ultimately, the application of these resources at a user level and within guidelines will ensure that EMS response is safer from a design and practices standpoint.
S&T coordinated with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to observe EMS professionals in the back of ambulances, specifically looking at the ergonomics of the patient compartment. They worked with EMS providers to determine the safest position for the caregiver and the patient. Additionally, the multi-agency team looked at the safety of the individual aspects of the vehicle in the event of a crash, and developed recommendations for EMS provider and patient restraints, cots and equipment mountings.
S&T, NIST and NIOSH also plan to make these resources available to ambulance accreditation bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association and the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.