SideXSide Action - November 2007 - (Page 43) Many top out at around 25 MPH, however the manufactures have realized this is a draw back in some applications and many are working on this. The units we are presently using top out at 45+ MPH. This is very helpful when transporting supplies in and out of the wilderness on good travel conditions. many UTV training programs were developed for the civilian market and only basic machine operations are covered. The current training programs have several pieces missing when it comes to operating a UTV in an emergency environment. Will you be pulling a trailer with your unit? Towing capabilities must be considered. What about on-board storage capabilities for your needed carry equipment? Roof and cab enclosures, accessories, and aftermarket availability equipment are also important considerations. Ease in installing coms and additional lights are also something to consider. So you see, just going out and buying a machine without thought to some of the above could cause you to get a machine that will not suit your needs. You MUST know and understand not only your normal response areas, but also all your mutual aid areas of response. Here in the North East we have a lot of different terrain features. That had to be taken into consideration as the driving course was being built. We have used what we have learned to construct a challenging obstacle course that will help the operators and build their skills. It also allows the supervisors to readily evaluate the operators. We have also decided that we will only train one department at a time to eliminate confusion between all the different UTV makes and models. Okay. Now you have your machine and you say to yourself, “SELF! What kind of training do I need to offer our members?” Keep in mind that in many OSHA regulations it states: “Training must be realistic in nature.” So just driving around some cones in the parking lot may not be enough. What has been discovered is that Out of the ordinary – That’s us. We are known for pushing the envelope. One part of our course is traversed blindfolded. Can you just imagine if a lawsuit ever is brought against you and the operator’s vehicle handling is questioned? You calmly take the stand with your photos and training documents and explain to all that your operators are trained to handle their machine blindfolded! Be safe. CONTACT TOM ASHMORE ENT., INC. P.O. BOX 883 WOODBURY, CT 06798 PH. 203.263.5656 WWW.ASHMOREENTINC.COM EMAIL. TAENTINC@AOL.COM 43 http://WWW.ASHMOREENTINC.COM
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