Drive to Survive

By Chris Daly

“Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical responders. There isn’t much training to address this topic...Few fire departments prioritize driver training.”

– Chris Daly, author of Drive to Survive

**Test bank available for those departments wishing to include the book as part of their promotional exams or EVOC courses. Instructor validation required. 

Email Chris Daly here for more info. 

FEATURES AND BENEFITS:

Drive to Survive: The Art of Wheeling the Rig provides an in-depth examination of fire apparatus vehicle dynamics. This is not your average “driver training” textbook. Fire apparatus operators must understand how a vehicle maneuvers at roadway speed, and more importantly…why does it crash? Just as a doctor cannot heal the human body without a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, an emergency vehicle operator cannot safely drive a fire apparatus without an in-depth knowledge of vehicle dynamics.

Drive to Survive goes beyond talking about pump operations, aerial operations, and preventative maintenance; it fills in the gaps between vehicle dynamics and crash causation. After 15 years of training and research, Chris Daly developed a training program combining his fire service and crash reconstruction training experience.

This book provides an in-depth knowledge of topics required in the following NFPA standards:

• NFPA 1002 “Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications”
• NFPA 1451 “Standard for Fire and Emergency Service Vehicle Operations Training Programs”
• NFPA 1500 “Standard on Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety Program”

Fire apparatus operators will learn the limits of driving an emergency vehicle and will understand that no matter how long they have been driving or how good they think they are, at some point physics will take over and the vehicle will lose control.  

We can reduce the number of emergency vehicle crashes throughout the world by addressing key issues and providing emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC) instructors with methods to convey these concepts. Concepts you learn in this book relate to more than just driving a fire apparatus. These principles apply to anyone who drives a vehicle, including your family members and loved ones.

 Contents:

1. Fire apparatus stopping distance
2. Sight distance
3. G-force and curve dynamics
4. Understanding rollover crashes
5. The friction circle and skid control
6. Siren limitations
7. Negotiating intersections
8. Seat belts and occupant protection devices
9. Railroad crossings
10. Air brake operations
11. Tire safety
12. Drunk and impaired driving
13. Overweight, oversized, and modified vehicles
14. Retiring apparatus, out-of-service apparatus, and Annex D
15. Tiller ladders
16. Fifteen passenger vans
17. Trailer operations
18. Off-road driving
19. Off-road recovery operations
20. Backing the apparatus
21. Driving in hazardous conditions: Nighttime and weather
22. Distracted, sleepy, and fatigued driving
23. Hose loads, wheel chocks, and electronic recording devices
24. Developing driver training programs and selecting drivers
25. Training ideas
26. Emergency vehicle crash investigation

• Appendix A: NIOSH firefighter fatality reports
• Appendix B: Understanding the math