ASTM_F_1705_-_96_2012.pdf

Designation:F170596(Reapproved 2012)Standard Guide forTraining Emergency Medical Services AmbulanceOperations1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1705;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide provides minimum training standards forEmergency Medical Services(EMS)Ambulance Operatorsincluding legal aspects,operator qualifications and testing,history of EMS vehicle operations,vehicle types/equipment,safety,physical forces,mechanics,pre-run,operations,post-run,and special circumstances.1.2 This guide promotes the safe and efficient delivery ofthe ambulance,equipment,crew,passengers and patients,during all phases of the delivery of EMS involving theambulance;at all times exercising the highest degree of carefor the safety of the public.This guide may be applied to thedriving of other EMS vehicles that do not necessarily providepatient transportation.1.3 This guide shall be used as the basis for all programsrelevant to the training of the emergency medical servicesoperators.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F1177 Terminology Relating to Emergency Medical Ser-vicesF1230 Specification for Minimum Performance Require-ments for Emergency Medical Service(Ems)GroundVehicles(Withdrawn 1997)3F1258 Practice for Emergency Medical DispatchF1517 Guide for Scope of Performance of Emergency Medi-cal Services Ambulance Operations2.2 Federal Specification:4KKK 1822C Federal Specification for the Star-of-Life Am-bulance3.Terminology3.1 For definitions of other emergency medical terms,seeTerminology F1177:3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 ambulance operationsthe efficient delivery of theambulance,equipment,crew,passengers,and patients duringall phases of the delivery of EMS involving the ambulance,atall times exercising the highest degree of care for the safety ofthe public.3.2.2 ambulance service provideras outlined in this guide,a person,company,corporation,or political entity responsiblefor operation,maintenance,or policy-making,or all three,regarding emergency medical vehicle operations.3.2.3 bona fide occupational qualification(BFOQ)theskills and knowledge relevant to the performance of a specifictask.3.2.4 departure checkthe visual check of the vehicle andsurrounding area,ensuring that equipment and supplies havebeen retrieved and properly stored and that all compartmentdoors are secured.3.2.5 egress checkthe visual check of the vehicle andsurrounding area prior to operating the ambulance.3.2.6 emergency modeas defined by individual state stat-utes that refer to emergency vehicles,equipment,and opera-tions.3.2.7 full checka comprehensive and systematic evalua-tion of the ambulance at specified intervals,including docu-mentation of the inspection,deficiencies,and their correctiveactions.3.2.8 operatora person who operates or assists with theoperation of an ambulance.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on EmergencyMedical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.02 onPersonnel,Training and Education.Current edition approved July 1,2012.Published August 2012.Originallyapproved in 1996.Last previous edition approved in 2007 as F1705 96(2007).DOI:10.1520/F1705-96R12.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.4Available from U.S.Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents,732 N.Capitol St.,NW,Mail Stop:SDE,Washington,DC 20401.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.2.9 driverthe individual responsible for operating theambulance in a safe and efficient manner,exercising thehighest degree of care.3.2.10 technicianthe individual responsible for patientcare.3.2.11 post-runthe managed return of the ambulance andoperators to optimal pre-run readiness.3.2.12 pre-runall aspects of assuring response readiness.3.2.13 quick checkan abbreviated version of the fullcheck,focusing on the major operational functions of thevehicle.3.2.14 reaction timefrom the time the operator identifiesthe hazard until the appropriate action is taken.3.2.15 response mode managementthe response mode ofthe ambulance shall be determined by dispatch protocols basedon(dispatch)dete