ASTM F2020-02a(2009)

Standard Practice for Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances (Withdrawn 2018)

ABSTRACT
This practice covers certified, tested, commercial type, EMSS ambulances built on chassis that are suitable for the intended application and meet the requirements herein, it also covers the design, construction, and procurement of emergency medical services systems ambulances. Types: type I-conventional truck, cab-chassis with modular ambulance body, type I-AD (additional duty-with increased GVWR, storage, and payload capacity)-A or B or neonatal, critical patient transport, or A or B with rescue and fire suppression package, type II-standard van, integral cab-body ambulance, type III-cutaway van, cab-chassis with integral or containerized modular body ambulance, and type III-AD (additional duty-with increased GVWR, storage, and payload capacity) A or B or neonatal, critical patient transport, or A or B with rescue, or fire suppression package, or both. Performance test, vehicle weight test, road test, water spray test, and oxygen system test shall be performed to meet the requirements prescribed.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers certified, tested, commercial type, EMSS ambulances built on chassis that are suitable for the intended application and meet the requirements herein. The ambulances are front or rear wheel driven (4x2) or four wheel driven (4x4) and warranted as specified in Section 9.
1.1.1 Definition of Ambulance—An ambulance is a vehicle for emergency medical care which provides: a driver's compartment; a patient compartment to accommodate an emergency medical technician (EMT)/paramedic and two litter patients (one patient located on the primary cot and a secondary patient on a folding litter located on the squad bench) so positioned that the primary patient can be given intensive life-support during transit; equipment and supplies for emergency care at the scene as well as during transport; two-way radio communication; and, when necessary, equipment for light rescue/extrication procedures. The ambulance shall be designed and constructed to afford safety, comfort, and avoid aggravation of the patient's injury or illness.
1.1.2 This practice may be used to procure an ambulance and the applicable additional systems and equipment.
1.1.3 Purchasers should follow the ordering data in 9.2 to aid them with the preparation of their procurement specification, requisition, and contract. The purpose of this practice is to describe minimum requirements for design, construction, performance, equipment, testing, and appearance of EMSS ambulances that are authorized to display the “Star of Life” symbol so as to provide a practical degree of standardization. The reasons for such standardization are to provide ambulances that are easily detected, nationally recognizable, properly constructed, easily maintained, and, when appropriately equipped, will enable Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to safely and reliably perform their functions as basic and advanced prehospital life support providers as set forth in national EMSS standard training guidelines. These functions include:
1.1.3.1 Responding to, providing appropriate basic or advanced life support, on-site, to persons reported experiencing acute injury or illness in a pre-hospital setting, and transporting them, while continuing such life support care, to an appropriate medical facility for definitive care.
1.1.3.2 Providing interhospital critical transport care.
1.1.3.3 Transporting essential personnel and equipment to and from the site of a multiple medical emergency or a triage site and transporting appropriately triaged patients to designated medical facilities.  
1.1.3.4 Other functions deemed appropriate by EMSS ambulance service managers and approved by designated EMSS medical directors.
1.2 “Star of Life” Certification—Ambulance manufacturer/contractor shall furnish the purchaser(s) citing this practice an authenticated certification and label (see 6.19) that certifies a “Star of Life” ambulance and equipment complying with this pra...

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 28-Feb-2009
• Withdrawal Date: 11-Jul-2018
• ICS: 43.160 - Special purpose vehicles
• Technical Committee: F30 - Emergency Medical Services
• Drafting Committee: F30.01 - EMS Equipment

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F2020-02a - Standard Practice for Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2009

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F2020 − 02a (Reapproved 2009)
Standard Practice for
Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency
Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2020; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.1.3.1 Responding to, providing appropriate basic or ad-
vanced life support, on-site, to persons reported experiencing
1.1 This practice covers certified, tested, commercial type,
acuteinjuryorillnessinapre-hospitalsetting,andtransporting
EMSS ambulances built on chassis that are suitable for the
them,whilecontinuingsuchlifesupportcare,toanappropriate
intended application and meet the requirements herein. The
medical facility for definitive care.
ambulances are front or rear wheel driven (4x2) or four wheel
1.1.3.2 Providing interhospital critical transport care.
driven (4x4) and warranted as specified in Section 9.
1.1.1 Definition of Ambulance—An ambulance is a vehicle 1.1.3.3 Transporting essential personnel and equipment to
for emergency medical care which provides: a driver’s com- and from the site of a multiple medical emergency or a triage
partment; a patient compartment to accommodate an emer- site and transporting appropriately triaged patients to desig-
gency medical technician (EMT)/paramedic and two litter nated medical facilities.
patients (one patient located on the primary cot and a second-
1.1.3.4 Other functions deemed appropriate by EMSS am-
ary patient on a folding litter located on the squad bench) so
bulance service managers and approved by designated EMSS
positioned that the primary patient can be given intensive
medical directors.
life-support during transit; equipment and supplies for emer-
1.2 “Star of Life” Certification—Ambulance manufacturer/
gency care at the scene as well as during transport; two-way
contractor shall furnish the purchaser(s) citing this practice an
radio communication; and, when necessary, equipment for
authenticated certification and label (see 6.19) that certifies a
light rescue/extrication procedures. The ambulance shall be
“Star of Life” ambulance and equipment complying with this
designed and constructed to afford safety, comfort, and avoid
practice and applicable amendments (if any) in effect on the
aggravation of the patient’s injury or illness.
date of manufacture (see 7.3).Ambulance vehicles so certified
1.1.2 This practice may be used to procure an ambulance
may display the registered “Star of Life” symbol, as defined by
and the applicable additional systems and equipment.
the U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) and the National
1.1.3 Purchasers should follow the ordering data in 9.2 to
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), see Fig. 1.
aid them with the preparation of their procurement
specification, requisition, and contract. The purpose of this
1.3 Classification—“Star of Life” ambulance designs in-
practice is to describe minimum requirements for design,
cluded in this practice may be described in terms of their body
construction, performance, equipment, testing, and appearance
type (I, II, or III), class of drive (“1” for two rear wheel drive
ofEMSSambulancesthatareauthorizedtodisplaythe“Starof
or “2” for four wheel drive), and floor configuration (A for
Life” symbol so as to provide a practical degree of standard-
Advanced Life Support or B for Basic Life Support). Such
ization. The reasons for such standardization are to provide
descriptions may be used to define a variety of ambulance
ambulances that are easily detected, nationally recognizable,
designs which are eligible for certification as “Star of Life”
properly constructed, easily maintained, and, when appropri-
ambulances. (To specify, see 9.2.2 and 9.2.3).
ately equipped, will enable Emergency Medical Technicians
NOTE 1—For optional advanced life support (ALS) applications, users
(EMTs) to safely and reliably perform their functions as basic
should consider specifying a modular (Type I or III) ambulance. Modular
and advanced prehospital life support providers as set forth in
ambulances provide additional space and compartmentation for cardiac
national EMSS standard training guidelines. These functions
monitors, drug cases, and so forth. The basic life support (BLS) configu-
include: ration is standard on all types.
1.3.1 Type I—Conventional truck, cab-chassis with modular
1 ambulance body (see Fig. 2).
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.01 on EMS
Class Configuration
Equipment.
Current edition approved March 1, 2009. Published March 2009. Originally
Two rear wheel driven (4x2) A or B
approved in 2000. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as F2020 – 02a. DOI:
Four wheel driven (4x4) A or B
10.1520/F2020-02AR09.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F2020 − 02a (2009)
FIG. 1 “Star of Life Symbol”
Configuration A: Elevating cot and squad bench for ALS (see 6.1.5.1 Class Configuration
and 6.11.4).
Configuration B: Elevating cot and squad bench for BLS (see Two rear wheel driven (4x2) A** or B
6.1.5.2). Four wheel driven (4x4)* A** or B
*Requires conversion of chassis to four wheel drive (4x4), (see
1.3.1.1 Type I—AD (Additional Duty—with increased
6.1.6).
GVWR, storage, and payload capacity)—A or B or Neonatal,
**On a Type II, ALS features are limited, (see 9.2.3).
Critical Patient Transport, or A or B with Rescue and Fire
1.3.3 Type III—Cutaway van, cab-chassis with integral or
Suppression Package (see 6.1.2.1).
containerized modular body ambulance (see 6.1.4 and Fig. 4).
Class Configuration
Class Configuration
Two rear wheel driven (4x2) A or B*
Four wheel driven (4x4) A or B* Two rear wheel driven (4x2) A or B
Four wheel driven (4x4)* A or B
*As specified by purchaser. The configuration shall provide for a
neonatal, critical patient transport, configuration A or B with fire
suppression package and rescue capability when specified.
1.3.2 Type II—Standard van, integral cab-body ambulance
(see 6.1.3 and Fig. 3).
F2020 − 02a (2009)
FIG. 2 Type I Ambulance
F2020 − 02a (2009)
FIG. 3 Type II Ambulance
F2020 − 02a (2009)
FIG. 4 Type III Ambulance
F2020 − 02a (2009)
RR-C-901/3 Cylinders Compressed Gas:WithValve or Plug
*Requires conversion of chassis to four wheel drive (4x4), (see
6.1.6).
and Cap; ICC3aa
Configuration A: Elevating cot and squad bench for ALS (see 6.1.5.1
2.3 Federal Standards:
and 6.11.4).
Configuration B: Elevating cot and squad bench for BLS (see
Federal Standard No. 297, Rustproofing of Automotive Ve-
6.1.5.2).
hicles
1.3.3.1 Type III—AD (Additional Duty—with increased 5
2.4 Military Standards:
GVWR, storage, and payload capacity) A or B or neonatal,
MIL-STD-461 Requirements for the Control of Electromag-
critical patient transport, or A or B with rescue, or fire
netic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and
suppression package, or both (see 6.1.4.1).
Equipment
Class Configuration
MIL-STD-1223 Nontactical Wheeled Vehicles, Painting,
Identification Marking and Data Plate Standards
Two rear driven (4 × 2) A or B*
Four wheel driven (4 × 4) A or B*
2.5 Laws and Regulations:
*As specified by purchaser. The configuration shall provide for a
21 CFR 820 Quality System Regulation (QSR) (FDA)
neonatal, critical patient transport, configuration A or B with fire
29 CFR 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Administra-
suppression package and rescue capability when specified.
tion (OSHA) Standards
1.4 Order of Precedence—In the event of a conflict between
40 CFR 86 Control of Air Pollution from New Motor
the text of this practice and the references cited herein, the text
Vehicles and New Motor Vehicle Engines
ofthispracticeshalltakeprecedence,exceptwhererequiredby
47 CFR, PART90 Private and Land Mobile Radio Services;
law including Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.
Sub Part B: Public Safety Radio Pool
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
49 CFR 393 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
(FMCSR)
only.
49 CFR 571 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS)
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
2.6 Other Publications—The following documents form a
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- part of this practice to the extent specified. Unless a specific
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
issue is identified, the issue in effect on date of invitation for
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. bids or request for proposal shall apply.
American Heart Association Standards and Guidelines for
2. Referenced Documents
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Cardiac Care
State of California Motor Vehicle Code
2.1 ASTM Standards:
The Tire and Rim Association Inc. Yearbook
B117 Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Inc., Standards and
F920 Specification for Minimum Performance and Safety
Recommended Practices:
Requirements for Resuscitators Intended for Use With
J163 Low Tension Wiring and Cable Terminals and Splice
Humans (Withdrawn 2007)
Clips
F960 Specification for Medical and Surgical Suction and
J537 Storage Batteries
Drainage Systems (Withdrawn 2003)
J541 Voltage Drop for Starting Motor Circuits
F1177 Terminology Relating to Emergency Medical Ser-
J551 Measurement of Electromagnetic Radiation from Mo-
vices
tor Vehicles and Devices
F1328 Guide for Training Emergency Medical Technician
J553 Circuit Breakers
(Basic) to Prepare Patients for Medical Transportation
J561 Electrical Terminals, Eyelet and Spade Type
(Withdrawn 2006)
J575 Tests for Motor Vehicle Lighting Devices& Compo-
F1517 GuideforScopeofPerformanceofEmergencyMedi-
nents
cal Services Ambulance Operators
J576 Plastic Materials, For Use In Optical Parts Such As
F1949 Specification for Medical Oxygen Delivery Systems
Lenses and Reflectors of Motor Vehicle Lighting Devices
for EMS Ground Vehicles
2.2 Federal Specifications:
L-S-300 Sheeting and Tape, Reflective, Nonexposed Lens,
Copies of Military Specifications and Standards required by suppliers in
Adhesive Backing
connection with specific procurement functions should be obtained from the
procuring activity or as directed by the contracting officer.
Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Office, Washington, DC 20402. When indicated, reprints of certain regulations may
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM be obtained from the Federal agency responsible for issuance thereof.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Circulation Magazine, Vol 102, Number 8,Aug. 2, 2000 (Supplement 1—ECC
the ASTM website. Guidelines).
3 8 th
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on Available from Department of Motor Vehicles, 2570 24 St., Sacramento, CA
www.astm.org. 95809.
4 9
Copies of Federal Standards and Specifications are available from Federal Application for copies should be addressed to The Tire and Rim Association,
Standards and Specifications, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Inc., 175 Montrose W. Ave., Suite 150, Copley, OH 44321.
Printing Office, 732 N. Capital St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401. Available from Technical Division, SAE, 400 Commonwealth Dr.,
Warrendale, PA 15096.
F2020 − 02a (2009)
J578 Color Specification for Electric Signal Lighting De- 4. Summary of Practice
vices
4.1 The principle of this practice is to define the range of
J595 Flashing Warning Lamps for Authorized Emergency,
designs, features, performance characteristics for
Maintenance, and Service Vehicles
manufacturers, purchasers, and users, of “Star of Life” ambu-
J638 Test Procedure and Ratings for Hot Water Heaters for
lances recommended for EMSS ambulance services.
Motor Vehicles
J639 Safety Practices for Mechanical Vapor Compression
5. Significance and Use
Refrigeration Equipment or Systems Used To Cool Pas-
senger Compartment of Motor Vehicles 5.1 This document describes the practices for commercial
ambulance manufacturers/venders for:
J682 Rear Wheel Splash and Stone Throw Protection
J683 Tire Chain Clearance
5.1.1 Design and construction, and outfitting of a variety of
J689 Approach, Departure, and Ramp Breakover Angles EMSS ambulances designs using commercially available light
J771 Automotive Printed Circuits
truck vehicle chassis, fabricated vehicle bodies, and commer-
J845 Method for Determining the Flash Energy of a Light cially available components and equipment.
J858 Electrical Terminals, Blade Type
5.1.2 Testingtheperformanceofambulancesandequipment
J928 Electrical Terminals, Pin and Receptacle Type
in accordance with nationally accepted ambulance manufac-
J994 Backup Alarms, Performance Test and Application
turers (AMD) test standards.
J1054 Warning Lamp, Alternating Flashers
5.1.3 Outfitting and equipping ambulances with medical
J1127 Battery Cable
equipment as recommended by appropriate medical associa-
J1128 Low Tension Primary Cable
tions to meet needs specified by purchasers.
J1292 Automobile, Truck, Truck-Tractor, Trailer, and Motor
5.1.4 Certification of ambulances in accordance with “Star
Coach Wiring
of Life” criteria.
J1318 Strobe Warning Lights
5.1.5 Painting coloring and marking EMS ambulances in
J1349 Engine Power Test Code, Spark Ignition and Diesel
accordance with “Star of Life” standards preparatory to deliv-
J2498 Minimum Performance of the Warning Light System
ery to purchasers.
Used on Emergency Vehicles
5.2 This document describes practices for ambulance pur-
National Truck Equipment Association/AMD:
AMD Standard 001 Static Load forAmbulance Body Struc- chasers for:
ture Test
5.2.1 Preparation of a purchase description for the procure-
AMD Standard 002 Body Door Retention ComponentsTest
ment of an EMSS ambulance in accordance with this practice,
AMD Standard 003 Oxygen Tank Retention System Test
using guidance contained in Section 9.
(Main and Portable Cylinder
...