Awareness and First Aid
Discover the stringent cleaning process ER24 crews must perform after every call-out to protect the health of both patients and ambulance crews.
“Keeping an ambulance clean and sanitised is crucial for patient safety, crew health, and preventing the spread of infectious diseases,” says Tao Carstens, ER24 Branch Manager South Metro. “Regular cleaning also maintains professional standards and means our equipment and vehicles last longer.”
Why ambulances need to be decontaminated
ER24 ambulances transport patients with various medical conditions, including infectious diseases, open wounds, and bodily fluid contamination. “That’s why we wash the floors throughout each shift and clean the ambulance thoroughly after every patient,” Carstens explains. “Without proper decontamination, these vehicles could transport dangerous germs and bugs between patients and crews.”
ER24 crews follow set checklists and procedures. “After each case, we use bleach, hospital-grade cleaners and microfibre cloths to wash all surfaces,” Carstens says. “We use wipe-down techniques, so our cleaning process doesn’t aerate any particles, which lessens the chance of contamination.”
How long it takes to deep clean an ambulance
Medics first inspect the ambulance for visible contamination, focusing on high-touch surfaces like stretchers, railings, door handles, and medical equipment. “We start from the cleanest areas (least touchpoints), such as the push-button release locking systems on our cupboards, then move to the counter where the equipment sits, then onto the stretcher, bench and chair,” Carstens says.
“We then remove all portable equipment from the ambulance for separate cleaning and disinfection. Using new, clean cloths, we pay particular attention to monitoring devices, such as the blood pressure cuff, oxygen saturation probe, ECG machine, ECG leads, oxygen cylinders, ventilator and syringe driver, and anything else that touches a patient,” Carstens says.
“We only put the equipment back in the vehicle after the deep clean is complete. This can take two crew members up to an hour-and-a-half to complete, during which time the ambulance is out of commission.” Any contaminated materials are disposed of in biohazard containers and waste disposal bags.
Cleaning is a key responsibility
“If we’ve transported a highly infectious patient, for example, someone with viral meningitis or a drug-resistant hospital-acquired bug, we wash everything with soap and water first, then up to three washes using hospital-grade chemicals. We’re only available for the next patient once the ambulance has fully air-dried.”
Proper ambulance cleaning is more than a regulatory requirement; it's a key responsibility that protects everyone involved in patient care, Carstens says. “Patients are in our ambulance for as little as 30 minutes, but ER24 crews are there for 12 hours at a time. We strive for a germ-free environment as a sick medic isn’t going to be able to help anyone.”
By following these protocols, ER24 teams maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and safety, ensuring ambulances are ready for all medical emergencies.