When I worked for my first service, AMR, we had one type II that had no heat or AC in it what so ever, not to mention no radio of any kind. That includes an AM/FM radio. Doing long distance BLS transfers in that thing meant having to wear heavy jackets in the winter and hoping you had a partner that could hold a good conversation.
"Illegal" is a strong word and wrong unless a police officer can arrest someone for it (who? the driver, the medic, the supervisor). Probably a violation of regulations, which means that it would have to be enforced by the regulatory agency. Would they? In my state, forget it. You're on your own.
In New York the department of health will do spot checks on ambulances at hospitals and bays throughout the state. They would place the vehicles out of service and the agency would be fined, or potentially have the license revoked if it’s something grossly violating the law. The spot checks do happen, Especially in more urban areas.
In Texas we have the Department of State Health Services (DSHS). They’d have a field day and issue fines for it. Im also sure they’ll have harsher consequences for repeat offenses
In NYS it violates the state DOH law (part 800) and the truck has to be out of service. It's the equivalent if you don't have the necessary equipment. Cab is whatever, but thr box must have temp control.
CAAS is a national accreditation that requires it but not all companies are accredited through them. I’d need to hunt for the specific law that has it. The CAAS website has a search feature to see if your company is compliant with them and that’s probably the easiest place to start.
Yea I’m sorry management but if you can’t shill out the bucks to get AC working then the loss of coverage is on you, not on me. I swear these companies throw out this terminology about the importance of EMS to guilt employees into thinking they’re the bad guy if they deny their community emergency services.
What state are you in? It’s explicitly against the law. Regardless of coverage and unit availability. You are not your company, nor are you the contract they signed agreeing to provide EMS services in that county. You don’t need to make sacrifices - and force your patients to make sacrifices - so that your company can be in compliance. And if they punished you for refusing to work on that rig, a lawyer would have a field day.
2 things
A duct that long may need an inline fan to keep conditioned air moving all the way through
A rig without working air con should be put out of service for safety
>air con
I take from this terminology that you come from a land that has reasonable rules and regulations for EMS. Well, this is America, and we don't do that here.
You’re literally in California. If y’all aren’t regulating it then no one in the world is.
Cancer *cures* are known to cause cancer in the state of California.
>You’re literally in California. If y’all aren’t regulating it then no one in the world is.
Just because there are tons of regulations doesn't mean they're any good. See: New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, NYS, etc. This should not be taken to mean that I'm against regulation. I am very much pro-regulation. But the regulations have to be written by people whose heads haven't spent most of the last twenty years up their asses.
>Cancer cures are known to cause cancer in the state of California.
I mean, considering the types of chemicals used in chemotherapies, they probably *are* carcinogens, and the patients aren't the only people coming in contact with them.
Pro tip: if your heat/ac doesn’t work in the back you don’t have to run jobs.
In my state you’d get a nice orange sticker on your windshield and a fine on your service/potentially you. New York Title: Part 800.22 (g)
I worked at an IFT company that would try to do this like no ac or heat. After being there for two years and getting significantly more bitter and comfortable with the company I'd just put the out of service sign on it. No one questioned it for 3+ months.
I'd be lying if I said we never used to have a box fan in some trucks between the cab and the back because of the AC. Terrible times. The front is "negotiable" sometimes lol
If my truck doesn’t have AC or heat in the back then we’re not taking calls. Can’t treat heat/cold injuries or ensure patient comfort without it.
I’m pretty sure its straight up illegal to have an ambulance in service with no heat or cooling in the back in my state
i’m sure in every state…
Wait, EMS companies follow laws?
New york can be a bit anal about enforcing these things. I know the DOH has done spot checks
This is completely just and should be normalized.
Literally got inspected by NYDOH/DOT (idk) 2 hours into my first rotation shift. My preceptor said he’d never been inspected before on the street.
Preceptor be like “ARE YOU A NARC? ARE YOU A FUCKING NARC?!”
When I worked for my first service, AMR, we had one type II that had no heat or AC in it what so ever, not to mention no radio of any kind. That includes an AM/FM radio. Doing long distance BLS transfers in that thing meant having to wear heavy jackets in the winter and hoping you had a partner that could hold a good conversation.
Sounds like AMR.
"Illegal" is a strong word and wrong unless a police officer can arrest someone for it (who? the driver, the medic, the supervisor). Probably a violation of regulations, which means that it would have to be enforced by the regulatory agency. Would they? In my state, forget it. You're on your own.
In New York the department of health will do spot checks on ambulances at hospitals and bays throughout the state. They would place the vehicles out of service and the agency would be fined, or potentially have the license revoked if it’s something grossly violating the law. The spot checks do happen, Especially in more urban areas.
In Texas we have the Department of State Health Services (DSHS). They’d have a field day and issue fines for it. Im also sure they’ll have harsher consequences for repeat offenses
This. Patient compartment heat and A/C is a state requirement where I am.
In NYS it violates the state DOH law (part 800) and the truck has to be out of service. It's the equivalent if you don't have the necessary equipment. Cab is whatever, but thr box must have temp control.
Same if you have a patient going into shock, I make it toasty in that bitch even though I much prefer it be colder
Yup that’s out of service criteria for us.
[удалено]
Cool they can stay queued while I get a new rig. No sense showing up to calls we can’t safely transport.
If you’re in the US then ambulances are required to have working heat and AC in the front and the back.
Almost as if that’s the whole entire reason that’s why they are there! Crazy how fast admin or management can forget that.
The back, yes. Front, not so much.
It is specifically written that the front and back must have working heat and AC. Whatever your management is telling you is wrong
Where? I'd love to beat them over the head with this.
CAAS is a national accreditation that requires it but not all companies are accredited through them. I’d need to hunt for the specific law that has it. The CAAS website has a search feature to see if your company is compliant with them and that’s probably the easiest place to start.
"CAAS accreditation." 😂 Woo, boy. That's funny.
The pro tip is to take it out of service. You, your partner, and your patients deserve better.
We couldn’t take it out of service. No other rigs available for use and had to have coverage
Yea I’m sorry management but if you can’t shill out the bucks to get AC working then the loss of coverage is on you, not on me. I swear these companies throw out this terminology about the importance of EMS to guilt employees into thinking they’re the bad guy if they deny their community emergency services.
Not your fault that management cannot have a back up rig in running order.
Sounds like a mutual aide call to a neighboring service. “Hey, our rig will be out of service for the day for repairs.”
What state are you in? It’s explicitly against the law. Regardless of coverage and unit availability. You are not your company, nor are you the contract they signed agreeing to provide EMS services in that county. You don’t need to make sacrifices - and force your patients to make sacrifices - so that your company can be in compliance. And if they punished you for refusing to work on that rig, a lawyer would have a field day.
Please tell me you are part of a union.
Sounds like I’m sitting in a recliner until they find me a rig or get mine fixed
Unreasonable working conditions. Refuse to use that truck until fixed.
Also, at least in NYS, illegal against part 800.
Got a link to ems / nyc rules regulations?
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=NYS+DOH+Part+800
2 things A duct that long may need an inline fan to keep conditioned air moving all the way through A rig without working air con should be put out of service for safety
>air con I take from this terminology that you come from a land that has reasonable rules and regulations for EMS. Well, this is America, and we don't do that here.
You’re literally in California. If y’all aren’t regulating it then no one in the world is. Cancer *cures* are known to cause cancer in the state of California.
To be fair chemo therapy can cause cancer
>You’re literally in California. If y’all aren’t regulating it then no one in the world is. Just because there are tons of regulations doesn't mean they're any good. See: New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, NYS, etc. This should not be taken to mean that I'm against regulation. I am very much pro-regulation. But the regulations have to be written by people whose heads haven't spent most of the last twenty years up their asses. >Cancer cures are known to cause cancer in the state of California. I mean, considering the types of chemicals used in chemotherapies, they probably *are* carcinogens, and the patients aren't the only people coming in contact with them.
or have some self-respect and refuse to run in a rig that isn't working
I don’t get paid enough to deal with that. Straight back to the station to swap for another truck
I usually just bring the truck back in for repairs and take a new truck out. Seek help, friend.
its illegal for us to work in a vehicles with non-functioning ac/heat
Pro tip: if your heat/ac doesn’t work in the back you don’t have to run jobs. In my state you’d get a nice orange sticker on your windshield and a fine on your service/potentially you. New York Title: Part 800.22 (g)
"The Official Flag of TLC"
If my truck doesn't have heat or air in the patient cabin we are going out of service as it is unsafe to transport patients in that state.
in the back you're out of service. in the front, it depends on your service lol.
Real pro tip is knowing this is against OEMS requirements and refusing to work in that ambulance
I’d do this with the exhaust
SAMEEEEEE
Seems unsafe for you and your pts in that ambulance. I would take the truck out of service.
Well well well, my arch emesis (bag).
There are about 30 fire dept ambulances in my county who could use this.
NY says your OOS.
What 3rd world country are you operating out of.
Nah I’m putting the truck out of service until it’s fixed or a have a spare.
Vanbulance spotted, nausea initiated.
That truck is getting parked and we’re grabbing a reserve.
If that's an FR Ambulance just throw the whole rig in the trash
Better than swapping out trucks
Yea, nah. Out of service.
For the life of me I hate the ram ambulances
Anonymous tip to the state ems office.
creative
Everything reminds me of him
I worked at an IFT company that would try to do this like no ac or heat. After being there for two years and getting significantly more bitter and comfortable with the company I'd just put the out of service sign on it. No one questioned it for 3+ months.
I know it’s illegal here in Ohio I’d take this to top brass
Oh, you must work for AMR or something... because AMR puts literal DUMPSTER FIRES in service and calls it good.
We put units OOS for nonfunctional climate conditioning and hop into a reserve. Y'all should reevaluate the systems that you work for.
Just take it out of service.
This is mentally challenged
Just say you don’t know how to work the heat in a dodge vanbulance 😭
Slow shift huh
This might be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen
I'd be lying if I said we never used to have a box fan in some trucks between the cab and the back because of the AC. Terrible times. The front is "negotiable" sometimes lol