Johnston County Emergency Services created additional training content for its employees with a focus on driving safety and stopping distance.

The training content, which staff reviewed at their monthly training sessions, captured real-world stopping distance tests on actual Johnston County ambulances at the North Carolina Highway Patrol Driver Training Track in Raleigh.

“This exercise puts things into perspective for our crews,” said Adam Godwin, EMS Assistant Chief. “It shows just how much distance is needed to bring an ambulance to a stop safely. No matter how much space you think you have, you can always give more.”

During the exercise, EMS personnel conducted tests at 40, 55, and 70 miles per hour, showing how braking distance dramatically increases with speed.

These real-world demonstrations give paramedics and EMTs a first-hand look at the challenges of operating large emergency vehicles and the importance of maintaining safe distances on the road.

The training is part of a county-wide effort to raise awareness about safe driving practices, both within EMS and among the public. EMS leaders emphasized that while the community depends on quick emergency response, safety must always come first.

“When someone calls 911, they don’t stop to think about how we’re going to get there—they just expect that we will arrive,” said Josh Holloman, Emergency Services Deputy Director. “It’s our responsibility to not only get there, but to do it safely, and to make sure patients reach the hospital or their destination without incident.”

Johnston County Emergency Services plans to continue sharing safety-focused training and awareness efforts with staff and the community. The department hopes that highlighting ambulance capabilities and limitations will remind both emergency personnel and drivers across the county to make road safety a top priority.