WAC 246-976-290   Ground ambulance vehicle standards.  (1) Essential equipment for patient and provider safety and comfort must be in good working order.

     (2) All ambulance vehicles must be clearly identified by appropriate emblems and markings on the front, side, and rear of the vehicle.

     (3) Tires must be in good condition with not less than two-thirty-seconds inch useable tread, appropriately sized to support the weight of the vehicle when loaded.

     (4) The electrical system must meet the following requirements:

     (a) Interior lighting in the driver compartment must be designed and located so that no glare is reflected from surrounding areas to the driver's eyes or line of vision from the instrument panel, switch panel, or other areas which may require illumination while the vehicle is in motion;

     (b) Interior lighting in the patient compartment must be adequate throughout the compartment, and provide an intensity of twenty foot-candles at the level of the patient;

     (c) Exterior lights must comply with the appropriate sections of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and include body-mounted flood lights over the rear door which provide adequate loading visibility;

     (d) Emergency warning lights must be provided in accordance with RCW 46.37.380, as administered by the state commission on equipment.

     (5) Windshield wipers and washers must be dual, electric, multispeed, and maintained in good condition.

     (6) Battery and generator system:

     (a) Battery with a minimum seventy ampere hour rating. It must be located in a ventilated area sealed off from the vehicle interior, and completely accessible for checking and removal;

     (b) Generating system capable of supplying the maximum built-in DC electrical current requirements of the ambulance. Extra fuses must be provided.

     (7) Seat belts that comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 207, 208, 209, and 210. Restraints must be provided in all seat positions in the vehicle, including the attendant station.

     (8) Mirrors on the left side and right side of the vehicle. The location of mounting must provide maximum rear vision from the driver's seated position.

     (9) One ABC two and one-half pound fire extinguisher.

     (10) Ambulance body:

     (a) The length of the patient compartment must be at least one hundred twelve inches in length, measured from the partition to the inside edge of the rear loading doors;

     (b) The width of the patient compartment, after cabinet and cot installation, must provide at least nine inches of clear walkway between cots or the squad bench;

     (c) The height of the patient compartment must be at least fifty-three inches at the center of the patient area, measured from floor to ceiling, exclusive of cabinets or equipment;

     (d) There must be secondary egress from the curb side of the patient compartment;

     (e) Back doors must open in a manner to increase the width for loading patients without blocking existing working lights of the vehicle;

     (f) The floor at the lowest level permitted by clearances. It must be flat and unencumbered in the access and work area, with no voids or pockets in the floor to side wall areas where water or moisture can become trapped to cause rusting and/or unsanitary conditions;

     (g) Floor covering applied to the top side of the floor surface. It must withstand washing with soap and water or disinfectant without damage to the surface. All joints in the floor covering must have minimal void between matching edges, cemented with a suitable water-proof and chemical-proof cement to eliminate the possibility of joints loosening or lifting;

     (h) The finish of the entire patient compartment must be impervious to soap and water and disinfectants to permit washing and sanitizing;

     (i) Exterior surfaces must be smooth, with appurtenances kept to a minimum;

     (j) Restraints provided for all litters. If the litter is floor supported on its own support wheels, a means must be provided to secure it in position. These restraints must permit quick attachment and detachment for quick transfer of patient.

     (11) Vehicle brakes, tires, regular and special electrical equipment, windshield wipers, heating and cooling units, safety belts, and window glass, must be in good working order.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.71, 18.73, and 70.168 RCW. 00-08-102, § 246-976-290, filed 4/5/00, effective 5/6/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040 and chapters 18.71, 18.73 and 70.168 RCW. 93-01-148 (Order 323), § 246-976-290, filed 12/23/92, effective 1/23/93.]