Testing Child Transport Devices for Ambulances

We anticipate this to be a five-year effort that includes development of three test methods (phase 1, year 1), validation testing to refine and most importantly validate the soundness of the test method (phase 2, years 2 and 3), and finally publication and adoption (phase 3, years 4 and 5). More than 50% of the cost of this effort will be consumed during the full-scale test validation process (e.g. repeated testing at crash test facilities).

The restraints used to secure an adult on a cot are simply too large to adequately restrain a child, just as adult automobile restraints are too large to safely restrain a child in a car. Given the size of a pediatric patient, specialty restraint systems or devices are required. These specialty restraint systems and devices will require unique testing protocols and pass/fail criteria, just as pediatric automobile seats require unique testing methods, test dummies, and pass/fail criteria.

The original standard development program was focused on EMS clinician safety during a crash. The testing focused on improving worker seating and requiring robust medical equipment mounts and secure cabinets to limit flying equipment and supplies.

Traditional car seats are anchored and tested on a fixed forward-facing seat to simulate the back-seating area of an automobile. Such seat and anchor systems do not exist in an ambulance. In fact, child car seat manufacturers have specifically recommended against using their devices in an ambulance for this reason. In addition, if an automobile car seat were used, it would limit the ability of the EMS clinician to provide medical assistance to the pediatric patient.

Product manufacturers have agreed to participate on the standards development committees and to design and manufacture new, more robust products, as in-kind contributions to the effort. By the end of the effort, each manufacturer should have a product available that has been tested and meets a new standard. Through this process we will be able to accelerate the introduction of new, safer products to market.

Testing is the process used to prove the new standard is written clearly and can be effectively used to evaluate the strength of each pediatric transport device. Without testing or “proving” the new standard to be useful and effective, we will not be able to achieve consensus nor will we be able to have the standard published by an accredited standards development organization.

We propose that these three new test methods be published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The SAE published the original ten test methods described earlier. The SAE is aware of this project and has indicated interest in working with NASEMSO.

At the conclusion of this collaborative, cost-sharing effort, the project team should have a minimum of three new published test standards (patient transport modes listed above) and industry partners will have designed and tested new, safe, and more robust pediatric transport devices. Once each test method is published, manufacturers will be able to advertise that the products they have developed and tested meet a specific, industry accepted minimum testing requirement. Manufacturer test results, derived from the new consensus test methods, may then be used comparatively by prospective purchasers both nationally and internationally, as they strive to provide safe and effective transport options for their pediatric patients.