ASTM_F_2020_-_02a_2009.pdf

Designation:F202002a(Reapproved 2009)Standard Practice forDesign,Construction,and Procurement of EmergencyMedical Services Systems(EMSS)Ambulances1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2020;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice covers certified,tested,commercial type,EMSS ambulances built on chassis that are suitable for theintended application and meet the requirements herein.Theambulances are front or rear wheel driven(4x2)or four wheeldriven(4x4)and warranted as specified in Section 9.1.1.1 Definition of AmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehiclefor emergency medical care which provides:a drivers com-partment;a patient compartment to accommodate an emer-gency medical technician(EMT)/paramedic and two litterpatients(one patient located on the primary cot and a second-ary patient on a folding litter located on the squad bench)sopositioned that the primary patient can be given intensivelife-support during transit;equipment and supplies for emer-gency care at the scene as well as during transport;two-wayradio communication;and,when necessary,equipment forlight rescue/extrication procedures.The ambulance shall bedesigned and constructed to afford safety,comfort,and avoidaggravation of the patients injury or illness.1.1.2 This practice may be used to procure an ambulanceand the applicable additional systems and equipment.1.1.3 Purchasers should follow the ordering data in 9.2 toaidthemwiththepreparationoftheirprocurementspecification,requisition,and contract.The purpose of thispractice is to describe minimum requirements for design,construction,performance,equipment,testing,and appearanceof EMSS ambulances that are authorized to display the“Star ofLife”symbol so as to provide a practical degree of standard-ization.The reasons for such standardization are to provideambulances that are easily detected,nationally recognizable,properly constructed,easily maintained,and,when appropri-ately equipped,will enable Emergency Medical Technicians(EMTs)to safely and reliably perform their functions as basicand advanced prehospital life support providers as set forth innational EMSS standard training guidelines.These functionsinclude:1.1.3.1 Responding to,providing appropriate basic or ad-vanced life support,on-site,to persons reported experiencingacute injury or illness in a pre-hospital setting,and transportingthem,while continuing such life support care,to an appropriatemedical facility for definitive care.1.1.3.2 Providing interhospital critical transport care.1.1.3.3 Transporting essential personnel and equipment toand from the site of a multiple medical emergency or a triagesite and transporting appropriately triaged patients to desig-nated medical facilities.1.1.3.4 Other functions deemed appropriate by EMSS am-bulance service managers and approved by designated EMSSmedical directors.1.2“Star of Life”CertificationAmbulance manufacturer/contractor shall furnish the purchaser(s)citing this practice anauthenticated certification and label(see 6.19)that certifies a“Star of Life”ambulance and equipment complying with thispractice and applicable amendments(if any)in effect on thedate of manufacture(see 7.3).Ambulance vehicles so certifiedmay display the registered“Star of Life”symbol,as defined bythe U.S.Department of Transportation(DOT)and the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA),see Fig.1.1.3 Classification“Star of Life”ambulance designs in-cluded in this practice may be described in terms of their bodytype(I,II,or III),class of drive(“1”for two rear wheel driveor“2”for four wheel drive),and floor configuration(A forAdvanced Life Support or B for Basic Life Support).Suchdescriptions may be used to define a variety of ambulancedesigns which are eligible for certification as“Star of Life”ambulances.(To specify,see 9.2.2 and 9.2.3).NOTE1For optional advanced life support(ALS)applications,usersshould consider specifying a modular(Type I or III)ambulance.Modularambulances provide additional space and compartmentation for cardiacmonitors,drug cases,and so forth.The basic life support(BLS)configu-ration is standard on all types.1.3.1 Type IConventional truck,cab-chassis with modularambulance body(see Fig.2).ClassConfigurationTwo rear wheel driven(4x2)A or BFour wheel driven(4x4)A or B1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on EmergencyMedical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.01 on EMSEquipment.Current edition approved March 1,2009.Published March 2009.Originallyapproved in 2000.Last previous edition approved in 2002 as F2020 02a.DOI:10.1520/F2020-02AR09.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 Configuration A:El