What else can be done to reduce injuries?

Changing ambulance design and manufacturing is an important step, but in many respects a greater challenge exists with improving the awareness and changing the attitude of EMS administrators, medical directors and providers.

In 2013, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) under a cooperative agreement with several federal partners developed a National EMS Culture of Safety Strategy document.

In addition, there are a growing number of articles about behavioral factors that affect EMS provider and patient safety, such as:

Teammate familiarity and risk of injury in emergency medical services. (Emerg Med J. 2015 Nov 27. pii: emermed-2015-204964. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2015-204964)

The association between weekly work hours, crew familiarity, and occupational injury and illness in emergency medical services workers. (Am J Ind Med. 2015 Dec;58(12):1270-7. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22510. Epub 2015 Aug 25)