ASTM F2020-00
(Practice)Standard Practice for Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances
Standard Practice for Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances
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 standard 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 which 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 pre-hospital 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 standard an authenticated certification and label (see 6.19) that certifies a "Star of Life" ambulance and equipment complying with this standard and applicable amendments (if any) in effect on the date of manufacture (see 7.3). Ambulance vehicles so certified may display the registered "Star of Life" symbol, as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), see Fig 1.
1.3 Classification— "Star of Life" ambulance designs included in this standard may be described in terms of their body type (I, II, or III), class of drive ("1" for two rear wheel drive or "2" for four wheel drive), and floor configuration (A for Advanced Life Support or B for Basic Life Support). Such descriptions may be used to define a variety of ambulance designs which are eligible for certification as "Star of Life" ambulances. (To specify, see 9.2.2 and 9.2.3).
Note 1—For optional advanced life support (ALS) applications, users should consider specifying a modular (Type I or III) ambulance. Modular ambulances provide additional space and compartmentation for cardiac monitors, drug cases, and so forth. The basic ...
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Designation: F 2020 – 00
Standard Practice for
Design, Construction, and Procurement of Emergency
1
Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Ambulances
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 2020; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope acute injury or illness in a pre-hospital setting, and transporting
them, while continuing such life support care, to an appropriate
1.1 This practice covers certified, tested, commercial type,
medical facility for definitive care.
EMSS ambulances built on chassis that are suitable for the
1.1.3.2 Providing interhospital critical transport care.
intended application and meet the requirements herein. The
1.1.3.3 Transporting essential personnel and equipment to
ambulances are front or rear wheel driven (4x2) or four wheel
and from the site of a multiple medical emergency or a triage
driven (4x4) and warranted as specified in Section 9.
site and transporting appropriately triaged patients to desig-
1.1.1 Definition of Ambulance—An ambulance is a vehicle
nated medical facilities.
for emergency medical care which provides: a driver’s com-
1.1.3.4 Other functions deemed appropriate by EMSS am-
partment; a patient compartment to accommodate an emer-
bulance service managers and approved by designated EMSS
gency medical technician (EMT)/paramedic and two litter
medical directors.
patients (one patient located on the primary cot and a second-
1.2 “Star of Life” Certification—Ambulance manufacturer/
ary patient on a folding litter located on the squad bench) so
contractor shall furnish the purchaser(s) citing this standard an
positioned that the primary patient can be given intensive
authenticated certification and label (See 6.19) that certifies a
life-support during transit; equipment and supplies for emer-
“Star of Life” ambulance and equipment complying with this
gency care at the scene as well as during transport; two-way
standard and applicable amendments (if any) in effect on the
radio communication; and, when necessary, equipment for
date of manufacture (See 7.3). Ambulance vehicles so certified
light rescue/extrication procedures. The ambulance shall be
may display the registered “Star of Life” symbol, as defined by
designed and constructed to afford safety, comfort, and avoid
the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National
aggravation of the patient’s injury or illness.
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), see Fig. 1.
1.1.2 This standard may be used to procure an ambulance
1.3 Classification— “Star of Life” ambulance designs in-
and the applicable additional systems and equipment.
cluded in this standard may be described in terms of their body
1.1.3 Purchasers should follow the ordering data in 9.2 to
type (I, II, or III), class of drive (“1” for two rear wheel drive
aid them with the preparation of their procurement specifica-
or “2” for four wheel drive), and floor configuration (A for
tion, requisition, and contract. The purpose of this practice is to
Advanced Life Support or B for Basic Life Support). Such
describe minimum requirements for design, construction, per-
descriptions may be used to define a variety of ambulance
formance, equipment, testing, and appearance of EMSS ambu-
designs which are eligible for certification as “Star of Life”
lances which are authorized to display the “Star of Life”
ambulances. (To specify, see 9.2.2 and 9.2.3).
symbol so as to provide a practical degree of standardization.
The reasons for such standardization are to provide ambulances
NOTE 1—For optional advanced life support (ALS) applications, users
that are easily detected, nationally recognizable, properly should consider specifying a modular (Type I or III) ambulance. Modular
ambulances provide additional space and compartmentation for cardiac
constructed, easily maintained, and, when appropriately
monitors, drug cases, etc. The basic life support (BLS) configuration is
equipped, will enable Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
standard on all types.
to safely and reliably perform their functions as basic and
1.3.1 Type I—Conventional truck, cab-chassis with modular
advanced pre-hospital life support providers as set forth in
national EMSS standard training guidelines. These functions ambulance body.
include: Class Configuration
Two rear wheel driven (4x2) A or B
1.1.3.1 Responding to, providing appropriate basic or ad-
Four wheel driven (4x4) A or B
vanced life support, on-site, to persons reported experiencing
NOTE—Configuration A: Elevating cot and squad bench for ALS (See
6.1.5.1 and 6.11.4).
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of
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