The emergency response vehicle is an essential part of any emergency. These vehicles are designed to handle all types of emergencies, from fires and natural disasters to medical emergencies and hazardous material spills. There are a wide variety of different kinds of emergency response vehicles that you need to be prepared for.
Types of Emergency Response Vehicles and its Uses
There are many different types of emergency response vehicles that could arrive at an accident or disaster scene. These include:
Fire trucks
Fire trucks carry water and other equipment to extinguish fires, as well as ladders that may be used during a rescue operation.
A firetruck is another Vehicle that can be converted into an Emergency Response Vehicle. It should also fit the required dimensions and weight load capacity to become one of these vehicles. The equipment mounted on this type of ERV includes ladders, hoses, or axes for fighting fires with water or removing flammable materials. As well, a firetruck requires lighting equipment and warning devices to make it an Emergency Response Vehicle.
Ambulance
An ambulance carries medical equipment and personnel to help those injured severely enough to require medical attention. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) units are specially equipped ambulances that provide out-of-hospital emergency care, such as CPR or defibrillation, before the patient reaches a hospital.
Emergency management agency vehicles
These types of emergency response vehicles include police cars and other government agency cars involved in directing traffic and managing crowds during an emergency.
Emergency response vehicles can be recognized by their red flashing lights, making them particularly vulnerable to accidents on the road (including getting rear-ended). Therefore, drivers of other cars need to stay alert around emergency response vehicles and avoid distractions like cell phones while driving near these special vehicles.
Police cars
Police cars, as the name suggests, are used by police officers to patrol and respond to emergencies. They carry a variety of items ranging from tools for subduing suspects, weapons such as guns or tasers, and medical supplies in case they come across an injured person while on their patrols. The police car is equipped with equipment such as guns, tasers, and bulletproof vests. This type of emergency response unit also requires lighting to identify it as an emergency response vehicle.
Rescue vehicles
These are used in any emergency that might require rescuing someone who’s trapped by debris, caught in a dangerous spot, or unable to move on their own due to injury. They carry ropes and other equipment to pull people out of tight spaces or get them onto stretchers safely.
Hazardous Materials Response Vehicles (HAZMAT)
HAZMAT vehicles are used for emergencies involving hazardous materials (chemicals, radioactive material, etc.). These vehicles are equipped with special suits and tools to allow them to respond safely.
Requirements for an emergency response vehicle:
The standards for an emergency response vehicle are that the vehicles must have a certain amount of equipment and supplies. A rescue squad or fire department can provide this kind of service to their community by meeting the requirements.
In general, all vehicles used as part of an emergency medical program will need:
- Basic life support system (BLS)
- Lighting and sirens for responding to emergencies.
- Advanced life support system (ALS) or automatic external defibrillator (AED) for emergencies involving cardiac arrest, trauma, or severe medical conditions.
- Firefighting equipment. This includes at least one charged hose and nozzle in the driver’s compartment of a fire engine, axes; crowbars; wood saws; forcible entry tools; hydraulic rescue tools.
- First aid equipment must include a minimum of four first aid kits.
- Mobility equipment. The vehicle must also have a reserve supply of oxygen and suctioning equipment for transporting patients in critical condition.
- Some of the specialized equipment included resuscitation equipment (defibrillators), cardiac monitors, IV infusion pumps, stretchers, and baskets for transporting patients; suction devices; medications; intubation airways/devices; obstetrical delivery kits, or orthopedic backboards.
- Oxygen storage and dispensing system, or an onboard oxygen generating system.
The vehicle should also have the following:
- The vehicle must be marked to identify it as an emergency medical service (EMS) or rescue squad. The markings should include life support and identification of the agency by name, logo, or other designation. In addition, it is recommended that specialized units such as hazardous materials, water rescue, or confined space rescue be identified on the vehicle.
- Vehicle markings must meet specific standards: the colors red and yellow to signify EMS vehicles (red) and fire apparatus (yellow); any agency name that establishes an emergency medical service as well as a designation indicating whether it is specialized in hazardous materials, water rescue or confined space rescue; designation of the geographic area served; all letters should be at least three inches high with no letter smaller than one inch.
- All equipment on an emergency response vehicle shall have permanent, legible identification numbers corresponding to identification plates on the vehicle. These numbers identify the specific piece of equipment and where it is located on a particular vehicle.
- All vehicles must be equipped with warning devices such as sirens, air horns, or exhaust whistles that are audible for at least 500 feet under normal traffic conditions. In addition, each emergency response vehicle should have a bell capable of being heard for at least 600 feet.
- Satellite system and wireless link to dispatch center. If the vehicle is used as part of an emergency medical program, it must also have a telemetry receiver (wireless monitor) capable of receiving EKG signals, oxygen delivery equipment (mask with O² tubing; bag valve mask device), suctioning devices, an airway adjunct, backboard (may be incorporated into the stretcher), cervical collar, spinal precautions or immobilization devices.
Conclusion
When it comes to emergency response vehicles, you can’t be too prepared. You should have a plan for what to do if an incident occurs and how your company will help the community in need. For example, are there evacuation routes? Are first-aid kits available onsite or nearby? If not, then ensure that they are stocked before emergencies happen.
One of the things that you also need to check is the standard of your vehicle’s window glass. It must be of high quality to make sure it withstands whatever emergency.
If you feel like you need to replace the window glass of your emergency vehicle, contact us. We, at Motion Windows, offer high-quality glass windows. We customize them as well to fit your requirements.
So, call us today for a free quotation!