Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the accelerator pedal with 93% confidence.
• Differentiate between "urgent" and "dispatch says it's urgent."
• Recognize that every traffic light was specifically designed to inconvenience emergency vehicles.
• Locate at least one driver who refuses to yield despite the presence of lights, sirens, and common sense.
• Accept that dispatch will assign a transfer approximately three minutes before the end of your shift.
• Understand that GPS estimated arrival times are works of fiction.
• Maintain professional composure when your partner says, "Watch this."

Employees scoring below 80% will be automatically enrolled in an additional 16-hour remedial training course entitled:

"Ambulances Are Bigger Than Most Cars."

Lights and Sirens Use

On average, lights and sirens save approximately 32 seconds on emergency responses and patient transports.

Along with these valuable seconds saved, lights and sirens also increase the risk of collision for providers, patients, pedestrians, motorists, wildlife, and occasionally stationary objects.

According to a landmark study performed in 1976, of the 1,967 emergency vehicle accidents reviewed, 1,966 occurred while emergency warning devices were activated.

Additional studies show that regardless of transport time, the patient will somehow slide themselves to the foot of the stretcher before arrival at the emergency department.

After careful review of the available evidence, S.M.M.C. leadership has determined that 32 seconds is absolutely worth the risk.

Therefore, all providers are expected to utilize lights and sirens whenever administration believes it will improve response metrics and quarterly reports.

Backing Safety

Backing accidents remain one of the leading causes of ambulance damage, property damage, paperwork, and disciplinary meetings.

To reduce preventable backing incidents, S.M.M.C. recommends utilizing the SAFE Backing Method:

• S — Stop and assess the area.
• A — Acquire a spotter.
• F — Find your spotter in your sideview mirror.
• E — Ensure you do not run over your spotter.

Additional backing guidelines include:

• Use a spotter whenever available.
• Ensure your spotter is visible before moving the vehicle.
• If you cannot see your spotter, stop immediately.
• If your spotter cannot see you, they are no longer a spotter.
• Do not assume your spotter moved to a safer location.
• Do not assume your spotter possesses superhuman reflexes.
• Under absolutely no circumstances should you run over your spotter.

Studies show that spotters who remain standing and out from under the tires are significantly more effective at spotting.

Common Hazards

Emergency vehicle operators encounter numerous hazards during routine and emergency driving operations.

• Deer
• Minivans
• Construction zones that appeared overnight
• Drivers who panic at the sight of flashing lights
• Drivers who do not notice flashing lights
• Drivers who actively pursue flashing lights
• Someone driving a Beamer who has decided they pay too much for their car to move over
• Parking lot poles that were definitely not there yesterday
• Dispatch adding a transfer at 18:59

Research indicates that approximately 13% of emergency vehicle driving stress originates from other motorists, while the remaining 87% originates from dispatch.

OSHA Road Hazard Square

S.M.M.C. Risk Management has developed the following hazard classification system after reviewing several accident reports and one extremely emotional email.

Final Exam Question 1

Which of the following is the safest ambulance speed?

• A. Posted speed limit
• B. Five over
• C. Whatever your partner says
• D. Fast enough to ensure you die in a crash since our insurance doesn’t cover medical bills

Final Exam Question 2

You arrive at an intersection with lights and sirens activated. The safest course of action is:

• A. Proceed cautiously
• B. Assume every driver is actively trying to hit you
• C. Confirm traffic has yielded
• D. Drive through quickly

Final Exam Question 3

Your partner says, "Watch this."

• A. Watch this
• B. Ask for clarification
• C. Trust the process
• D. Begin preparing an incident report

Final Exam Question 4

Which vehicle is least likely to yield to an emergency vehicle?

• A. Woman Driving A Beamer
• B. School Bus
• C. Tractor Trailer
• D. Delivery Van

Final Exam Question 5

Which object is most likely to appear behind your ambulance during a backing maneuver?

• A. A parked vehicle
• B. A trash can
• C. An object that definitely was not there two seconds ago
• D. Your spotter

Final Exam Question 6

According to S.M.M.C. policy, the primary purpose of lights and sirens is:

• A. Public safety
• B. Faster patient care
• C. Improved traffic flow
• D. Improving quarterly response-time metrics by 32 seconds

Final Exam Question 7

Immediately following an accident while reversing, the ambulance driver should:

• A. Blame the spotter
• B. Attempt to repair the damages
• C. Pretend like nothing happened.
• D. All of the above

Final Exam Question 8

I attest that I have read and completed the slides and passed the final exam with a score of 80% or higher.

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. I clicked through it as quickly as possible

Course Complete

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed the S.M.M.C. Certified Emergency Vehicle Operator Classroom Lecture.

Based on your performance, S.M.M.C. has determined that you are:

Final Score: 137%

Questions Missed: 0

Questions Administration Changed After Submission: 4

Spotters Run Over During Training: Acceptable Range