News
All of the latest EVOC news, and announcements, tailored especially for the EMTs, paramedics, and other emergency responders that serve the citizens of Southern California's Inland Empire.
- Inland Empire EVOC Instructor Killed.
- Mike will never be forgotten. You are in our hearts and your vision will live on with the whole EVOC team. Mike was an I.E EVOC Instructor since it's roll out in 2001. He has trained hundreds of new hires and made many friends within The EVOC family. Mike will be deeply missed with all of his friends. We dedicate this program to Mike.
See story below
LANCASTER - Some 500 firefighters, law enforcement officers, co-workers, family members and friends paid their last respects to an emergency medical technician killed in a head-on collision on his way home from work. Firetrucks and ambulances were parked outside the Lancaster JetHawks' stadium for the memorial service for Michael Sprinkles, described by friends and family as outgoing, hard-working, a good friend, and a loving father and husband.
"For those who knew Mike well, he was just a big teddy bear with a boisterous voice," said Mike Kirkland, who worked with Sprinkles at American Medical Response ambulance service.
Sprinkles, 37, who was with AMR for 10 years, had been working out of a fire station in Canyon Country. He was riding his motorcycle home on Sept. 6 to Lancaster from an overnight shift in Canyon Country when he was hit by a car that crossed the center line on Sierra Highway.
Wednesday's memorial service was held at Lancaster's Clear Channel Stadium because American Medical Response staffed all the JetHawks' home baseball games.
Sprinkles' wife, Rose, and sons Austin, 11, and Logan, 9, sat with the rest of his family around a podium set up at home plate as Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and scores of AMR co-workers filled stadium seats.
"I always liked working with Mike as a paramedic. I always could rely on him to get in there and do the job," said Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedic Steve Bartram.
Bartram lives across the street from the Sprinkles' home. Bartram said Sprinkles loved to engage in friendly competitions over who had the greenest lawn or the best Christmas decorations.
"Mike was full of life," said LA county Fire Department Chaplain Don Kanallakan. "The last emergency response I was on with Mike, it was typical Mike. He took care of business, but then he would also sidle up beside you and tell you how he had bought a boat and he and his family were going to the river for 1 1/2 weeks."
Jailed in the crash that killed Sprinkles is a 38-year-old ex-convict named Juan Bibinz, a Littlerock resident who authorities said is in the U.S. illegally after having been deported to Mexico in 1999. Authorities said Bibinz had a driver's license under one of many assumed names.
Witnesses told CHP officers that Bibinz, in a Mazda Protege, had been driving recklessly and crossed the double-yellow center line of Sierra Highway near Davenport Road and hit Sprinkles' motorcycle. Bibinz did not appear to be intoxicated, CHP officers said.
Bibinz has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and is jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The family asked that donations be made through American Medical Response to the Michael Sprinkles Memorial Fund.
- AMR has implemented the Road Safety SafeForce™ Driving System
- American Medical Response has implemented the Road Safety SafeForce™ Driving System. The system provides an audible feedback to alert the driver that the vehicle is not being driven to AMR Safety Standards.
Road Safety System Procedures
American Medical Response recognizes that the safe and appropriate operation of company vehicles is an essential component of providing quality services to its customers and the safety of our employees, patients and the communities that we serve. To ensure and maintain this standard of quality, all employees who operate AMR vehicles equipped with the Road Safety system are required to comply with the standards set forth in these procedures.
AMR is fundamentally committed to the health and safety of its workforce, and provides safety training; tools and information to employees enable them to work safely. The assist with the monitoring of employee driving behaviors. The Road Safety Program helps to enhance vehicle operational standards to ensure continuous safe driving performance while operating company vehicles. The procedures listed below constitute official policy of AMR. Violation of any procedure may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
1.0 Objectives
1. To ensure compliance of company standards for the safe operating of all company vehicles.
2. To enhance the overall safety of employees and the public.
3. To reduce accidents and the overall financial impact they have to the organization.
4. To establish, monitor and update driving standards, behaviors and training needs.
5. To establish accountability of safe operation of company vehicle.
2.0 Program Driving Standards & Reports
The Road Safety Driving System measures and records vehicle speed, RPM's, acceleration, deceleration, G-forces and other parameters including but not limited to: speed, spotters, turn signals, braking, emergency lights and siren, parking brake, seatbelt usage, idle time, park time, run time and system tampers. The system is capable of giving second-by second feedback and data.
The Road Safety System has a built in scoring matrix that rates each driver on a scale of 1-10. Driving reports will be generated every two weeks, which are reviewed by management and posted in operations. AMR Southern Pacific employees are required to maintain a level 5 or greater.
1. All data collected from the Road Safety System will be stored, reviewed and evaluated by using a specific Vehicle Operator Identification Number. The vehicle operator performance data will be reviewed by operations management for compliance of all performance standards set forth in this procedure a minimum of twice a month.
2. A grading summary report indicating individual driving performance will be posted twice monthly by operations management.
3. The established minimum driver grading score of (5) using a 1-10 measuring system will be maintained.
4. Excessive low force, high force and over speed counts will be monitored and reviewed by supervision.
5. In the event of a vehicle accident, the driver will be removed from driving status temporarily pending the review of the Road Safety report and investigation. All Road Safety reports will be downloaded, printed and submitted to the Risk and Safety Department as part of the accident investigation paperwork.
6. Seatbelt usage will be monitored and reviewed by supervision in accordance with AMR's seatbelt policy.
7. The AMR management team reserves the right to modify data collection and reporting as software and hardware upgrades are available by the manufacture.
3.0 Road Safety Identification Tags & Log-On Policy
1. All AMR employees who drive vehicles equipped with the Road Safety System will be issued a Driver Identification Tag. The tag is issued as a part of the employees uniform and carried at all times while on duty. Operation's management team is responsible for ensuring that driver identification tags are issued and kept current.
2. It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure they have their tag at all times while on duty. A missing or lost tag must be reported to your supervisor immediately.
3. If an employee reports to an assigned shift without their Driver ID Tag they will be subject to one of the following depending on the needs of the system and management discretion: (1) removed from their shift without pay until the tag is located. Or (2) if system demands prevent removal from assigned shift, a temporary ID tag will be created for use during the assigned shift.
4. All AMR employees are required to log-on to the Road Safety System using their issued ID Tag. The use of another employee's ID Tag is prohibited.
5. It is the responsibility of the vehicle operator to report any visible signs of tampering or mechanical problems of the Road Safety Systems. Any known or visible problems with the Road Safety System must be reported to the Road Safety Administrator or supervision immediately.
6. Tampering with, damaging, altering or bypassing the Road Safety System is prohibited.
SafeForce™ System Components
* An On-Board Computer to collect the data.
* An Accelerometer Module to monitor vehicle G-forces.
* A Transceiver to download data to the base station.
* An Audio Speaker to provide audible feedback to the driver.
* A Driver ID Receiver for drivers to log onto the system.
What is Road Safety System?
* Similar in design to the flight data recorders used by commercial airlines.
* Measures vehicle and driver performance.
* Records multiple inputs including:
o Speed
o RPM
o Brakes
o Turn signals
o Emergency lights
o Siren activation
o Seatbelts
o Spotter Switch
* Monitors and records vehicle G-forces generated during turns, accelerations and decelerations.
* Provides audible feedback to help the driver operate the vehicle in a safe manner.
Why Do We Need The Road Safety System?
* Improve safety
* Provide smooth and stable environment for patient care
* Recognize drivers who drive safely
* To protect you, your partner and the community
* Reduce maintenance costs and extend vehicle life
More Information