By Robert Raheb
FDNY EMS Lt. (ret), Emergency Response Specialist — FAAC, Inc.
Recent news of a couple of collisions has shown why it is so important to train not just to a level of competency but to a high level of proficiency.
In Pa., a fire apparatus operator (FAO) was involved in a fatal collision while responding to a vehicle fire on the interstate. The FAO had the vehicle’s emergency warning devices activated when it collided with an SUV, killing the 70-year-old female driver. State police believe the FAO was at fault, and charges are still pending.
In Oklahoma City, an EMSA ambulance was responding to a medical emergency with all of its warning devices activated when approaching the intersection left of center. A car traveling in the same direction made a left turn in front of them, causing the ambulance to collide into the driver’s side door, killing the driver.
The incident is still under investigation, and no charges have been filed. An EMT, a paramedic and a student were all aboard the ambulance, and fortunately, none of them suffered life-threatening injuries.
During this writing, more news reports, some with video footage, kept coming in, showing the mistakes we are making. I hate watching these and often faulting our members, but when viewing these, one must be objective and allow the information to present itself in a truthful light.
Unfortunately, both of these examples remind us of just how dangerous intersections are when we are responding to an emergency. Intersection collisions occur more frequently than any other collision that produces a fatality when responding or transporting a patient.
One study showed that ambulances struck another vehicle 74 percent of the time in all fatal ambulance collisions. The vast majority of our fire and EMS personnel are good, responsible and safe drivers, but when things go wrong, they go terribly wrong very quickly. The smallest mistakes made behind the wheel lead to some of the worst collisions out there.
There is an increasing trend of accountability and liability, not only of the departments, but also of the individual members. Vehicular manslaughter can be punishable by up to four years in a state prison.
So how does a department train for this type of event? Here are some of the most common methods of training:
Lecture
Many instructors get up in front of a class and talk about policy and procedure, along with the laws that govern emergency vehicles. It is very important information, but the problem doesn’t lie with the instructor, the material or the student but rather with the delivery of this information. When new recruits or seasoned veterans see and hear about others’ collisions, they cannot picture it happening to them; most would be in denial. “That won’t happen to me,” they say to themselves. “I am more careful than that.”
In driver training, EVOs drive every day -- off-duty, on-duty, responding to assignments, building inspections or just going for a meal. When it comes to driver training, most students have an attitude of, “I already drive. What can you teach me?”
Skills
EVOs become complacent because their duties are so familiar. They are tested on a static cone course and must perform a series of maneuvers that are relatively easy for an experienced driver. The learning portion is small, and the CYA aspect for a department is huge. Doing well on the cone course simply reinforces the aforementioned attitude.
Judgment
As in other aspects of emergency response training, simulation provides powerful lessons in a unique, lifelike environment. When students who do well on the written exam and the skills course broadside a car at an intersection in the simulator, they have taught themselves a valuable and memorable lesson. In simulation training, the instructor facilitates the training rather than doing the training. The student learns by doing, the simplest and fastest way of educating. Simulation gives students the experience of what to expect before actually doing it. What’s the definition of experience? The knowledge you needed three minutes ago.
Real-world experience in a virtual world
Both examples at the beginning of this article as well as others you see, hear, read or experience can be made into training simulation scenarios that will enhance the level of training you want and need. Concepts are taught repeatedly without requiring a certain set of circumstances to come together first. Simulation training can be added to most classes without adding additional time to the program. Don’t just train to drive; train how to respond to various types of emergencies.
I once overheard a student say that he drove in real life like he was in the simulator, trying to think where the next hazard is going to pop out. That is a great way of thinking. That driver is more aware of his surroundings and is always looking at the big picture.
Remember, drive like your life depends on it.