EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS
Online Training Catalog
Vector Solutions’ course catalog features Emergency Vehicle Operator courses that offer departments a convenient, easy-to-use, and time-saving solution to reduce motor vehicle losses, one of the costliest but least addressed losses in the workplace. These courses are available to PRISM members at an exclusive, discounted rate. For more information about these courses, or to add them to your course catalog, please contact Vector Solutions at 800.840.8048.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATOR TRAINING
The number of vehicles on our nation’s roadways continues to increase every year. As traffic congestion increases, the risk of becoming involved in an accident increases as well. On average in the U.S., a vehicle crash occurs every 5 seconds, a crash-related injury occurs every 12 seconds, and a person is killed in such crashes every 12 minutes. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for on-duty firefighters in the United States, accounting for about 25% of all on-duty firefighter deaths.
This course provides guidance for emergency vehicle operators, describing post-accident procedures such as who to call, what information to provide and collect, and what forms to complete. Information is also provided regarding what employee drivers can expect to be carried out by their organization during the accident investigation and which corrective actions could be recommended to prevent similar accidents in the future. Likewise, the course also discusses strategies for responding safely to unexpected vehicle emergencies, such as a mechanical failure.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Every time they get behind the wheel, emergency personnel, whether driving a department-owned or personal vehicle, face various environmental factors that can affect their ability to drive safely. The hazards involved result not only from the heightened risks imposed directly on the emergency operator but also on the heightened risks facing other drivers on the roadway.
In 2005, 848,000 crashes in the U.S. occurred under rain, sleet, or snow conditions, and although there are far fewer vehicles on roadways at nighttime, over half of all vehicle crashes involving fatalities occurred in dim or dark lighting (NHTSA).
Environmental conditions that can affect driving include weather, visibility, and road surface quality. All of these require drivers to be able to respond appropriately and adjust their driving to make sure the vehicle handles safely under the conditions present. This course reviews the risks posed by certain environmental conditions and explains the required driver responses to ensure safe vehicle operations in those conditions.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course aims to make emergency vehicle drivers aware of the dangers involved in speeding, promote vehicle operations at safe speeds, and provide strategies for avoiding other speeding vehicles. Topics covered include what risks arise from excessive speed, how speed affects stopping distance, what economic costs stem from speeding, how to avoid becoming involved in a collision with a speeder, what factors to consider in choosing a safe speed for vehicle operation, and what factors influence drivers to speed.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course is aimed at preparing emergency vehicle operators for encountering potential hazards on the roadway. It follows a three-fold approach by encouraging drivers to anticipate, recognize, and respond to driving hazards. Within this framework, topics covered include principles of defensive driving, the need for driving defensively, practical instruction on how to drive defensively, instruction on maintaining a safety zone perimeter around the driver’s vehicle, and effective braking distance.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
A brief gaze at a vehicle accident, a turn of the neck to look into the backseat, a routine cell phone conversation — these all have the potential to cause a deadly motor vehicle accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6 to 8.3 million drivers crashed in the past five years as a result of being distracted.
This course examines the problem of distracted driving and offers solutions and prevention measures for avoiding accidents due to distracted driving. Recent case studies are also presented along with a discussion of the lessons that can be learned from each.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Roadways are a dangerous place for emergency responders. Since 1979 over 270 firefighters and emergency responders have died in accidents involving motor vehicles – this represents almost 25% of emergency responder deaths overall. Many more are injured annually from emergency vehicle related accidents. Preventing work-related roadway crashes requires strategies that combine traffic safety principles and sound safety management practices.
Operating an emergency vehicle is a responsibility you should take seriously to minimize the risk of injury and death to yourself and others, as well as damage to expensive equipment. This course highlights the steps you can take to protect yourself and your fellow firefighters on the road.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Various kinds of vehicles are used by emergency responders. Each type has unique dimensions and mechanical components. Being familiar with these can help make vehicle operations safer.
This course reviews the various vehicle types used in the fire service and EMS industries, highlighting the unique features of these vehicles as well as the distinct handling requirements required for safe operation. An overview of safety enhancements, braking systems, and baffling systems is provided. The culmination of these discussions centers on applying the knowledge gained to reduce crash risks.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course aims to review the fundamentals of emergency vehicle driving. Using contemporary examples and statistics, the need for training on this subject is emphasized. Factors to consider in route planning are also reviewed. Special attention is given as well to proper start-up procedures, fundamentals of safe driving, defensive driving, and positioning safely at the emergency scene.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
The purpose of this course is to encourage safe driving practices among employees, reduce employers’ costs due to incidents caused by impaired driving, and educate drivers on the factors that contribute to impaired driving. Driving is a common task required of many employees nationwide and even a small increase in safe driving practices can reduce the number of accidents and, most importantly, save lives. Due to the widespread nature of the alcohol-impaired driving problem in particular, special attention has been given to this problem.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
For emergency vehicle drivers, intersections are one of the most dangerous sections of the roadway. Numerous studies have shown that intersections are the most likely location for an emergency vehicle to be involved in a crash. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) lists intersection safety as one of its top priorities, and it recommends driver training as one of the keys to reducing motor vehicle crashes at intersections.
This course highlights the principles and practices emergency vehicle operators must consider for safely navigating through various types of intersections and examines the potential risks associated with the operation of vehicles at intersections. It is divided into two sections: Lessons 1-10 review basic intersection safety and Lessons 11-13 discuss intersection safety when responding to an emergency.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course reviews legal aspects of emergency vehicle operation, including appropriate vehicle procedures based upon federal, state, local, and organization regulations. It also reviews the need for compliance with traffic laws and appropriate conditions for exemption. Legal terms and principles discussed include due regard, true emergencies, negligence, and abandonment. Strategies for protection from liability are also covered.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Most of a driver’s time behind the wheel is spent while the vehicle is moving forward. The repetition and accumulation of experience can help drivers learn safe practices. But unfortunately, this does not mean they will be equally good or safe when it comes to backing. Visibility is not as clear when backing, which poses a great risk.
This course focuses on the various safety precautions and techniques for backing safely in a number of situations. Topics such as safe backing procedures, using a spotter, blind spots, and adjusting mirrors are covered.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
In 2007, it was reported that 50% of firefighters nationwide were still not using their seat belts. In fact, 12 firefighters died in the line of duty in 2007 in crashes in which they weren’t wearing their seat belts. Even now, despite all the controversy surrounding the lack of seat belt usage in the fire industry, in some departments, over 90% don’t use their seat belts when responding to a fire call.
Lack of seat belt use isn’t just a problem in the fire industry. Alarmingly, over 42,000 people died nationwide in motor vehicle crashes in 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In over 50% of these fatal crashes, a significant cause of death was the driver’s or passenger’s decision not to wear their seat belts. The point cannot be stated more clearly: Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in vehicle collisions.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course covers the dangers of carrying materials in a vehicle, whether these are within the passenger compartment, in the trunk, in a storage compartment, or in a trailer. Drivers are instructed on the basic safety considerations for securing such materials properly so that the danger they pose is reduced. By remembering to check for loose materials before getting behind the wheel and tying down or securing any loose materials that are identified, drivers can reduce the chance of causing serious injury to themselves or others.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)
This course focuses on responsibility of emergency vehicle operators to inspect their vehicles and maintain them in good working condition. Critical and pertinent topics are covered such as what to inspect, how to document inspections, the cost-saving benefits of properly maintaining a vehicle, how to check tire pressure, and how to identify common vehicle problems before they contribute to costly major mechanical failures.
Course Duration: 0.5 Hour(s)
An unfortunate reality that every fire department has to deal with is the security and protection of its vehicles. According to the FBI, a vehicle is stolen in the U.S. every 26.4 seconds. In addition to vehicle theft, a surprising amount of other causes of damage and loss of property, as well as injury and fatality to personnel, is sustained every year by vehicle operators and the organizations they represent behind the wheel. Greater attention to security and safety measures of protection should be implemented to effectively curb this trend, contain the losses, and save lives.
This course is dedicated to educating fire personnel and improving vehicle safety and security. Receiving particular emphasis in this course are the areas of preventing vehicle theft and enhancing the personal safety of vehicle occupants. Regarding vehicle security, topics covered include, among others, how to secure a vehicle safely when parking, what security devices can be installed to enhance protection, and how to follow a comprehensive “layered” approach to vehicle security. While theft of fire apparatus is not a huge concern for fire departments (though it does occur), the tips for vehicle security are relevant to all vehicles used by fire personnel, including personal automobiles. Vehicle safety is also featured prominently in this course, and topics such as safety tips for protecting vehicle occupants from injury in a collision and properly using vehicle-equipped safety devices are discussed.
Course Duration: 1 Hour(s)