Keep Safety in UTV Public Safety Rescue

UTV chassis side-by-sides outfitted with appropriate medical or fire skid units complement most any agency's first response fleet.  Safety concerns surrounding their use, particularly when used for patient transport, warrant careful attention from rescue teams.  A thorough understanding of the vehicle, transport apparatus, off-road terrain, and patient requirements must precede any use in public safety situations. First understand the vehicle Before considering the advantages of using a patient transport skid unit for side-by-side UTVs, understand the design and limitations of the off-road vehicle in which it fits.  (Please reference Kimball Johnson's earlier article titled, "Not All UTVs Are Created Equal.")  Most of the larger UTV chassis available today, such as John Deere Gator, Polaris Ranger, Gravely Atlas, and Kubota RTV, to name a few, can dependably accommodate the transport of a patient.  Slip-on skid units for medical or fire rescue, such as KIMTEK's MEDLITE and FIRELITE units, are specifically equipped for safe transport of patients in compatible UTVs and in some pick-up trucks.  Next understand the missions Fire and EMS teams must clearly understand the likely mission objectives and what is expected of the equipment in the field.  Types of terrain, for example, will help inform which UTV chassis is best for the mission.  Sand or rock, flat areas or mountains, and other features of location are all important factor...
Source: JEMS Operations - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Ambulances & Vehicle Ops Industry News Source Type: news