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Cam Buckle Strap
With a cam buckle strap, the MAVO just has
to pull the webbing tight. The mechanism
itself should grab the strap with its teeth to
stabilize the tie-down. Cam buckle straps
should only be used to restrain the front of
the wheelchair, never the back.
Cam Buckle Strap
An MAVO should carry at least one
wheelchair for those patients either without
their own chair or without a wheelchair that
can be safely secured for transport. This
wheelchair should be in four-point tie-downs
(even if there is no a patient in it) or an
approved wheelchair storage rack at all
times.
Remember, everything inside the van should
be “crashworthy” to ensure the safety of all
passengers in the van at all times.
“Crashworthy” means that the wheelchair,
patient belongings, equipment or devices of
any kind – everything inside the vehicle – is
secured and will not become a projectile in
the event of an accident.
Seat Belts
Other important items in your MAV are the
seatbelts that are used to secure
passengers in vehicle seats and in
wheelchairs. Wheelchair seatbelts are used
so that the patient does not slip down or fall
out of the chair when stationary or when in
motion on the ground. Remember that
anytime you are attending to a patient in a
wheelchair, they must be seatbelted into the
chair. Automotive seatbelts or safety belts
in MAV’s are used for the same purpose as
they are in your car: to keep the driver and
passengers secured while the vehicle is in
motion and in the event of a crash.
Proper Securement of Wheelchair in Van
A patient who is appropriately secured in the
MAV will be in a chair that is firmly tied down
to the MAV floor with four restraint straps
that are secured to the frame of the
wheelchair. The chair will not be able to be
moved more than 1” in any direction. The
patient will be forward-facing in the van, and
will be secured in the chair with a separate
restraint system. Although the Office of
Emergency Medical Services accepts a
single seatbelt in the current NJAC 8:40
regulations, the most current thinking is that
the paitent should be in an ADA three point
restraint.
Other organizations also require a shoulder
harness to restrain the patient. The current
Logisticare standards require a shoulder
harness, so if you organization does any
Medicaid-billable work, you must use an
ADA three point restraint. A standard for
Transporting Wheelchairs, the WC-19
standards, also require a three point
restraint on the patient. Thus, it’s
recommended that you always utilize a three
point restraint when transporting a patient.
Properly Secured Patient in MAV