It seems like there is a new report of a fire apparatus or EMS vehicle crash daily. The ones we read about in the news are typically the most serious incidents, but even less damaging crashes can have a significant impact on department operations — and no department is immune from either type of incident.
There are a multitude of factors that contribute to apparatus crashes: lack of training for apparatus operators, inconsistent training standards from department to department, lack of awareness of civilian drivers and impaired driving, to name a few. Add larger apparatus, narrow roadways, weather and fatigue to that mix, and apparatus crash risk becomes a routine reality in the fire service.
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Given the many factors that can lead to apparatus crashes are out of our control, it begs the question: What is in our control to prevent crashes? The simplest answer is consistent training.
Training without a standard
NFPA 1002 is the standard for fire apparatus professional qualifications. For departments that run EMS, there is no consensus document from NFPA or other agencies that offer guidance on ambulance operations. Most states and agencies require completion of an approved Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), generally taken from institutions like VFIS and NFPA, but there is no single standard for how to conduct this type of training.
For those of you who have worked at numerous departments during your careers, whether paid or volunteer, was driver training handled the same way at each agency? For me personally, I have worked for seven different agencies, with seven different driving programs, administered seven different ways. Why is that?
More importantly, what qualifies as effective training? NFPA 1002 explains how to maneuver apparatus a certain way, through various obstacles and conditions. The standard breaks it down based on apparatus type — and it is a great first step. But given the number of crashes that occur, is it enough?
Experience matters
Compounding the issue is the age and maturity of our drivers. I was driving fire apparatus at 19, which was necessary for the department I worked for, and I understand that in a perfect world that would not be the case, but this is the reality for many communities.
It also must be understood that, in many cases, 19-year-old firefighters should not be driving fire apparatus or ambulances. Looking back, I had only three years of total driving experience and was expected to operate and maneuver a fire engine, a medic unit and a quint. Remember, the judgment required for reaction time, road awareness, intersection navigation and defensive driving comes with experience.
However, we have to hire and backfill our ranks through retirement, and in the case of my department and the ones that surround me, our new members ride the medic unit and have to drive. They also ride the engine or the ladders, but they rotate to the medic unit and operate it. Each of them completes a VFIS cone course, some online driving modules and a road course to be released. They are then evaluated by members of an instructor cadre that was internally created. What are their qualifications? Well, they are drivers, too. And herein lies the problem. Who are our “driver trainers”?
VFIS and other organizations offer instructor training for emergency vehicle operators, but because fire apparatus operate on public roads, the lack of consistent state or federal training standards remains a significant gap. At the same time, the fire service continues to be exempt from CDL requirements, despite the clear need for formalized training and vehicle-handling skills.
What needs to change
In a perfect world, we would have standardized training in fire and EMS apparatus maneuverability that covers more than diminishing clearances, slalom courses and backing procedures. All apparatus operators would have a professional licensure that encompasses a training regimen that covers the reality of the job — rapid decision-making and vehicle driving characteristics. Quite often our programs involve only pump and ladder operations — yes, vital aspects of training — but those programs are irrelevant if we never arrive at the scene.
Just like with driving school, operator candidates should have documented drive time with approved instructors who have also completed training and competencies. There should be written testing to cover a cognitive portion of knowledge of apparatus handling as well as a hands-on portion that covers driving, not just pump calculations and friction loss.
Also in a perfect world, the apparatus operator would be a promoted position within the organization. I’ve worked for agencies that use that model and those that do not. I believe the value of a promoted driver who has been tested and vetted is invaluable to the organization for their knowledge, experience and reliability, not to mention the diminished liability issues. Fire chiefs and company officers alike can rest assured that the best people are behind the wheels of the rigs that the community has supported and purchased. This is not to say that our best people aren’t doing that now, but if we are truly honest, are your operators’ skills consistent? Are they all at the same level of skill?
Is there a trade-off? Absolutely, especially in smaller departments or on the volunteer side. Having vetted, licensed drivers could reduce recruitment that is already struggling. It would require more work in the form of training and education, which could further impact rosters. Furthermore, is the engine not going to roll because they are waiting on a driver? How does that play into the community? In a ideal setup, fire departments, even volunteer ones, would have a provision to staff a licensed driver at all hours of the day and night, and if they can’t, then maybe regionalization is the best next step to provide the best service to the community.
An ongoing operational risk
This is a complex issue with many competing factors. However, what isn’t complex is the fact that apparatus crashes continue to occur, and some of them can be traced back to a lack of experience or training for the firefighters and emergency medical providers behind the wheel. Training standards must change to account for new personnel so that we can protect ourselves and the public.
With wait times for replacement apparatus taking upward of four years, it is imperative that we operate with due regard, prudence and safety when behind the wheel. If we take out the only ambulance that serves our community, then nobody is safe. Our trucks are some of our most valued assets, second to our personnel. As such, we should train and advocate the same way we do for our people so that we continue to grow and improve our amazing service.
Drive safe, drive right.
