The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) is pleased to announce the release of its first draft Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) for ambulances.
The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) is pleased to announce the release of its first draft Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) for ambulances. This document was developed by a broad consensus group of EMS manufacturers, providers, regulators and industry and safety subject matter experts. CAAS is asking for public review and comments on its draft Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) for ambulances. The deadline for public comment is Monday, December 1, 2014.
Please click on this link to access the CAAS Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) or visit www.groundvehiclestandard.org.
This standard document was based upon the following guiding principles:
- Ensures Safety of the patient, provider and community
- Ensures Quality of the ambulance design
- Supports and enhances the quality of patient care and patient movement
- Establishes performance-based design standard
- Supports efficient EMS operations
- Promotes fiscal efficiency and cost benefit analysis
- Incorporates relevant emerging technologies
The CAAS Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) identifies the minimum requirements for new automotive Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ground ambulances built on Original Equipment Manufacturer’s Chassis (OEM) that are prepared by the OME for use as an ambulance. This Standard applies to new vehicles only.
The CAAS Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) does not apply to the following vehicle categories:
- Military Vehicles/Combat Support Ambulances
- Wheel Chair Vans/Transport Vehicles
- Mass-Casualty Vehicles/Ambulance Buses
- Refurbished or Remounted Ambulances
- Fire Apparatus
The purpose of the CAAS Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) is to best serve patients by providing ground ambulances that are safe, nationally recognized, properly constructed, easily maintained, and when professionally staffed and provisioned, will function reliably in pre-hospital or other mobile emergency medical service. The CAAS Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS-2015) establishes minimum requirements, performance parameters and essential criteria for the design of ground ambulances and to provide a practical degree of standardization.
For more information, please contact the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services at (phone) 847-657-6828, (fax) 847-657-6825, 1926 Waukegan Road, Suite 300, Glenview, IL 60025. www.caas.org
Thank you for your input.
Sincerely,
Sarah L. McEntee,
CAAS Executive Director