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PRODUCT APPLICATIONS FROM THE FIELD ADVERTORIAL 48 NOVEMBER 2017 | EMSWORLD.com When the EVS Ltd. design and engineering team set out to create a revolutionary belting system for better crew protection, they had a few primary objectives in mind: safety, speed and ease of use. No matter how much the company invested in perfecting the design and operation of its belting systems, they kept hearing the same thing—users simply didn't wear them. With that goal, the specialty manufac- turer of industry-leading seating and belting options for the EMS industry developed its newest innovation: the 2160 series of seat- ing, the most advanced crew seating option on the market. The 2160 series removes all barriers pre- venting EMS professionals from maintaining their own safety while performing the dan- gerous work of emergency medical services. New features include an innovative six-point belting design with quick and easy seat belt access and a thinner profile to allow the seat to get closer to the wall, allowing more leg room. The seat unfolds flat to transport a second patient if necessary. The system is certified to meet all safety standards while providing maximum flexibility for the EMT. "[Director of Operations] Adam [Hum- barger] and his team have been fantastic to work with," says Ned Clifton, sales manager at American Response Vehicles, a leading dealer of new and used ambulances cover- ing Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky. "They're very proactive and open to end-user input on features and requests." A key upgrade on the 2160 series is the BackPack restraint system, a six-point har- ness configuration that secures crew mem- bers by simply sliding one's arms behind two straps, rather than buckling at 3–4 separate points. In addition to faster and easier appli- cation, the retractor mechanism is housed underneath the seat rather than behind it, saving critical cabin space. Other benefits include a seat cushion that's two inches shorter than the previous model, increasing leg room, and the ability to mount a car seat for child transport. Clifton works with purchasers of ambu- lances and emergency crews to determine their needs and desired features, and finds EVS systems are often at the top of agency wish lists. They're constantly evolving to meet new safety standards and user feed- back. "Their customer service is outstanding," says Clifton, adding that responsiveness to questions and requests is among the com- pany's strengths. Since 1993, EVS Ltd. has created more safety seating products than anyone else in the EMS industry by investing in research and development and dynamic testing. Products include mobility tracking systems, safety seats for adults and children, flip-ups and captain's chairs, integrated restraints and a full line of seating accessories. Headquartered in South Bend, Ind., EVS Ltd. Is 100% employee-owned and a three- time winner of the EMS World Innovation Awards. Visit evsltd.com Circle 14 on the Product Information Card Swifter and Safer Crew Belting System As mass casualty incidents and natural disasters continue to significantly impact communities, it is vital that EMS providers have the sufficient training and knowledge to effectively respond to these events. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) designed the eight-hour long All Hazards Disaster Response (AHDR) course to teach partici- pants how to deal with active shooter inci- dents, pandemics, fires, infrastructure failings and other large-scale events. AHDR instructs EMS providers of all levels how to analyze potential local threats and evaluate what resources are available to help save lives. "There really is no other course like AHDR which really digs into the medical component of responding to a whole host of disasters," says Faizan H. Arshad, MD, one of the course authors and EMS medical director of Health- quest Systems in Hudson Valley, N.Y. Arshad says a disaster preparedness com- mittee from ACEP identified the need for disaster management courses that focus on training medical prehospital providers and teamed up with NAEMT. "In EMS, 'All disasters are local.' A first responder's day is unpredictable," says Arshad. "Because of that unpredictability, it's incredibly important for providers to have a basic knowledge and some algorithms in their mind in regard to the medical component of the response…and how EMS can take the lead in an ICS framework." Rather than teaching participants general protocols, the course instructs prehospital providers how their specific roles will need to be executed in a disaster scenario so they know exactly what they will be expected to do. Examples of training scenarios include radiological or nuclear events, a wedding where many guests are fatally poisoned, and an active shooter. Arshad describes the course as "new age" in terms of its teaching methodology. Rather than being presented with multiple PowerPoints, students are led through modules and instructor-led group activities. AHDR is one of many in a suite of NAEMT's prehospital trauma life support courses, all of which Arshad recommends to enhance providers' readiness. "This will arm providers with the medical knowledge necessary to respond to disasters and be highly effective in taking care of critically injured and potentially contaminated patients. It's vitally important they take the knowledge that we give them in AHDR back to their agencies...to prepare for that eventuality which none of us want to happen but nevertheless we have to be prepared to respond to as providers." Visit www.naemt.org/education/ahdr Circle 23 on the Product Information card Preparing for the Unexpected