Are ambulances fitted with satellite navigation?

Charlie-Bravo · 16-08-2013 8:52pm #1

Just asking this question as I was out earlier today in Greystones when an ambulance with flashing blue lights stopped and the driver asked me if I knew of a specifically-named road (I won't mention actual road names just in case some ends up reading this involved gets upset). I wasn't familiar with the name of the road but he said it was located off the road I was standing on. I took out my phone and used Google maps to search for this road. Meanwhile I asked the driver if he has Sat Nav on board and to my shock he said no! Anyway, the road came up straight away and it was a few hundred metres away from it.

I would have thought that every second counts and in this day and age would have thought all emergency vehicles including ambulances are fitted with sat nav?

antichrist · 16-08-2013 9:19pm

No. Currently the HSE/National Ambulance Service does not supply a SatNav in the vehicles. Any SatNav used belong to the members of the crew.
The ambulances are however tracked by a vehicle locator in ambulance control and can be guided into the address that way (in theory!)

Bang Bang · 16-08-2013 9:22pm

No, National Ambulance Service ambulances are not fitted with sat navs.
They are however fitted with Automated Vehicle Locating System (AVLS) but this can be inaccurate, coupled with a poor VHF radio system in some regions, Greystones being in one of those regions, this current system cannot be relied on as it requires radio contact between the crew and Ambulance Control which is not always possible due to poor radio signal and reception.

Charlie-Bravo · 16-08-2013 9:59pm

Thanks for the replies - I'm kinda shocked finding out that there is no sat nav for the ambulance crew. I mean, it took me merely seconds to find it on Google maps with my phone. It might be different for a rural area but for an ambulance to have a problem finding a road in the suburbs it's just appalling. This is one very good reason to get a decent sat nav kit installed to all vehicles.

kub · 16-08-2013 11:44pm

Bang Bang wrote: »

No, National Ambulance Service ambulances are not fitted with sat navs.
They are however fitted with Automated Vehicle Locating System (AVLS) but this can be inaccurate, coupled with a poor VHF radio system in some regions, Greystones being in one of those regions, this current system cannot be relied on as it requires radio contact between the crew and Ambulance Control which is not always possible due to poor radio signal and reception.

I thought I read somewhere that they were now operating the Tetra radio system.

Bang Bang · 16-08-2013 11:46pm

kub wrote: »

I thought I read somewhere that they were now operating the Tetra radio system.

Only in certain regions kub, most of the country are still on the old VHF radios.

Zambia · 17-08-2013 12:18am

Meanwhile in Australia

2012paddy2012 · 17-08-2013 2:04am

kub wrote: »

I thought I read somewhere that they were now operating the Tetra radio system.

The cops have terra and no sat navs either ... Backward little country

Capri · 17-08-2013 7:47am

SatNav / GPS is not the be-all and end-all of directions - it does have it's limitations and mistakes. My Google maps gives the Mansion House at Merrion St. I'd say if the crew didn't know the precise address then control should be able to guide them using Google streetview, or get a taxi to lead the way :eek::eek:

Charlie-Bravo · 17-08-2013 9:48am

I use sat navs all the time when I'm out in the car. I own a Tom Tom but find Google to be more accurate. In this case however it wasn't the precise address what was needed, it was a street they were looking for. Just one road in a small town and as a local I didn't even know it. I'm not comfortable with the fact that the ambulance crew need to be 'guided in' where radio coverage is dodgey. Does not bode well for Greystones due to its topography.

matt-dublin · 20-08-2013 3:22pm

sure do you not see them driving around charlesland for about 20 minutes everytime they come up here??

recedite · 20-08-2013 11:27pm

I have a loc 8 code for my house. You can tap one of these codes into a Garmin sat-nav, and it will direct you straight to the front door.

Its a bit disturbing to learn that the ambulances aren't equipped with a piece of kit that costs less than €100 these days. Even apart from the obvious patient safety issue, if you added up the cost (in wages and diesel) of the extra driving around, the thing would probably pay for itself in the first week.

Markcheese · 28-08-2013 11:09pm

recedite wrote: »

I have a loc 8 code for my house. You can tap one of these codes into a Garmin sat-nav, and it will direct you straight to the front door.

Its a bit disturbing to learn that the ambulances aren't equipped with a piece of kit that costs less than €100 these days. Even apart from the obvious patient safety issue, if you added up the
cost (in wages and diesel) of the extra
driving around, the thing would probably
pay for itself in the first week.

Can't imagine the avls system is cheap to run or install ... Prob not updated as much as tom Tom either...

kirving · 29-08-2013 1:01am

I wonder could someone start a campaign to get Garmin or Google to sponsor Sat Nav's in ES vehicles?! Bearing in mind that no system is infallible, it's an absolute disgrace that Sat Nav isn't fitted as standard.

Stereomaniac · 29-08-2013 1:37am

Perhaps you could start the campaign Kevin!

Are ambulances fitted with satellite navigation?

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