EVOS: EMS Vehicle Operator Safety

EMS Vehicle Operator Safety (EVOS), Second Edition, addresses the vehicle operations and transport safety knowledge gaps that lead to injury and death. Built on current research and featuring discussions of actual crashes and common driving scenarios—and the lessons that can be learned from them—it challenges emergency vehicle operators to learn how to arrive at a scene safely. The course manual profiles real-life incidents and provides practical safety strategies, emphasizing the critical safety principles that are needed to transform a culture of dangerous driving habits into a culture of safety.

Incorporating the Latest Research

The second edition incorporates valuable new research to make the text and NAEMT course the most current, comprehensive resource available to teach safe driving techniques for emergency vehicle operators today. Instructors will want to incorporate this new, evidence-based content into their training:

- The lights and siren paradigm shift
- How the increase in distracted drivers impacts emergency vehicle safety
- Why Traffic Incident Management is essential now- Reconsidering the "golden hour"
- How qualified field training officers make a difference in training effectiveness
- The role of work-related fatigue in EMS and how to prevent it

Promoting a Culture of Safety

EMS Vehicle Operator Safety (EVOS), Second Edition, trains EMS providers to recognize the specific behaviors that must be changed to promote a culture of safe driving. Participants are taught to identify and remove hazards that lead to vehicle collisions, from sleep deprivation to technological distractions to alcohol and substance use. Participants learn practical strategies to reduce the risk of a collision, from defensive driving to vehicle positioning to use of lights and siren. The course also underscores the significance of local laws and regulations that govern EMS vehicle operation, and how standard operating procedures (SOPs) are central to shaping safe driver behavior. Additional course topics are also key:

- Developing a safety-first attitude to ensure emergency vehicle operator safety, as well as partner, patient, and passenger safety
- Distinguishing the types of laws that affect EMS vehicle operation, including considerations for responding to emergency and nonemergency calls
- Taking appropriate precautions when performing specific vehicle maneuvers and when driving under various road and weather conditions
- Performing daily vehicle inspections to manage mechanical issuesread more...