SAFEFORCE™ DRIVING SYSTEM BRINGS SMOOTHER, SAFER RIDE TO SUNSTAR AMBULANCE SERVICE
All 55 Sunstar paramedic ambulances receive new Road Safety technology to improve safety, reduce fleet operating costs and provide better service to Pinellas County residents.
LARGO, FL - A safer, smoother ride is all but guaranteed as Pinellas County EMS & Fire Administration oversees the installation of a new, on-board computer driving system, replacing outdated computer systems on all 55 paramedic ambulance that make up the Sunstar fleet.
The new on-board computer monitors several vehicle functions, much as a " black box" does in an airliner. The device records speed, mileage, idle time, application of brakes, use of siren and emergency lights, use of seatbelts, turn signals and many other driving functions which it relays by radio to Sunstar operations. In addition, during vehicle operation, warning tones and alarms will alert the operator if the dynamic force at work on the vehicle exceeds recommendations, such as when a vehicle operator brakes too hard or turns a corner too fast. Each Paramedic, Emergency Medical Technician or Registered Nurse who operates a vehicle activates the system with a personal ID key, so each driver's performance can be measured to ensure safe driving protocol. All Sunstar vehicle operators are required to take a 16 hour Emergency Vehicle Driving Course, and are closely supervised for the first 4-6 weeks on the job. Afterwards, all vehicle operators must adhere to national standards of SafeForce driving, which is a very refined professional version of defensive driving.
Besides insuring a safer and more comfortable ride for Sunstar patients, the new equipment is expected to lower vehicle operating costs through more efficient vehicle maintenance. In addition, the accumulated data will be invaluable in helping to analyze the cause and prevention of ambulance incidents and crashes.
Sunstar paramedic ambulances respond to more than 150,000 emergency and non-emergency calls each year in Pinellas County. |
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