The Necessity of On-Site Ambulance Services
Right care at the right time is the essence of emergency medical services. An emergency can strike at any hour without a warning, and before you can take any action, everyone around you is in a state of panic. The situation worsens. Complications increase. Time runs out, leaving you in a spiral of confusion and distress. Preparation is the key to dealing with the consequences that such emergency crises can bring.
Primary Purpose of Ambulances
Ambulances are crucial in times of a sudden health emergency. These prompt mobile healthcare units carry paramedics and EMTs who rush to the emergency site and provide the necessary care. Ambulances have all the tools and medical equipment required to cater to both threatening and non-threatening emergencies and to transport them to the nearest healthcare facility. An ambulance on site carries tools like a stretcher, diagnostic tools, first aid tools, defibrillator, advanced machines, supplies and medications, personal protective equipment, communication systems, and other miscellaneous items.
Types of Ambulances
Different types of ambulances are available based on the specific emergency requirements. Primarily, there are two types of ambulances: Basic Life Support Ambulance and Advanced Life Support Ambulance. A BLS ambulance is the most common ambulance on site. It has equipment such as stretchers, medical tools, and oxygen for primary essential care. It usually staffs EMTs. An ALS ambulance on site, on the other hand, carries paramedics and has more advanced equipment like cardiac monitors and airway management equipment, all for intensive care.
A neonatal ambulance on site is used for the transport of premature babies. There are other ambulances like the critical care transport ambulance. This ambulance on site is for the transport of seriously ill patients from one facility to another. These critical care ambulances are also designed to support disabled people with a medical emergency. Air ambulances (helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft) also exist for the rapid transfer of critical patients.
There are well-trained EMTs and paramedics to support the patients in ambulances on site. While both have medical training and provide primary care, their levels of expertise differ. Paramedics are more trained than EMTs and have the ability and knowledge to manage more complicated medical conditions. That is why BLS ambulances have EMTs and ALS ambulances have paramedics.
Importance of Timely Care
The number used for calling an ambulance on site is 108 in India. An emergency call receives a rapid response, with an ambulance dispatched to the place of crisis. The patient receives immediate and continuous care and monitoring throughout the journey. This timely intervention ensures reduced complications. A call for a specific ambulance on site will solely depend on the type of emergency and the condition of the trauma patient.
To prioritize emergencies, the ambulance on site staff utilize the triage system. It is a systematic approach that informs how to prioritize the condition of the patients. Priority, immediate attention is given to patients with life-threatening conditions. Next comes the urgent but not necessarily life-threatening conditions like serious injuries. The last in the system are the non-urgent conditions like minor injuries or illnesses that require just first-aid care.
Geographical factors and traffic congestion can sometimes cause trouble in timely transportation. The importance of a quick response time is paramount. A prompt ambulance on-site service is crucial for saving lives. So, while choosing an ambulance on site service, make sure their automobiles make use of the latest technology that can combat challenges like these.
Role of Ambulances in Public Health
- Ambulances play an essential role when a disaster occurs. Natural disasters like floods, landslides, and cyclones are inevitable and cause many casualties. During disasters, many are displaced and injured. Having an ambulance on site to serve casualties can be beneficial in providing immediate relief, and transporting the critically ill to the nearest hospital.
- There are many instances where mass casualties occur. Stamping in events like concerts, festival gatherings, bombing attacks, and industrial accidents can cause a lot of damage, and an ambulance on site of mass accidents can be integral in treating and saving many lives.
- Apart from providing an ambulance on site for emergency medical response, they also help in educating and serving the community. There are free programs like checkups, vaccinations, and blood donation drives among many others by the ambulance services. This kind of outreach program helps in spreading awareness about healthcare, strengthens people to take action, and helps them be prepared for any kind of emergencies.
- Ambulances on site support pre-hospital care, and remove congestion from the emergency rooms by providing care on the scene of the incident. This helps prevent confusion by strategically managing patients and the kind of care to be given.
The Need to Educate Masses on Emergency Ambulance Services
- Healthcare education is a must, and everyone should be aware of the ways to mitigate emergencies. An ambulance on site is always beneficial but we should focus on saving time when it comes to medical emergencies. It is always favorable to be prepared to take control of the situation if there happens to be an emergency so that we can save every second and provide timely help.
- Ambulances on site are crucial in times of emergency. But our bodies, under stress, find it difficult to manage such situations. Proper awareness and education, for instance, having a simple emergency number memorized can help save time. In an emergency, every second counts. Quick action and response can be lifesaving.
- Educating the masses and providing them access to the knowledge and practice of basic first aid training like CPR can be extremely beneficial as then they can help out a patient immediately and still provide care until the arrival of an ambulance on site.
- Ambulance as a resource is valuable and its misuse should be avoided. Unfortunately, some people do not understand the importance of the resource and call the centers in the pretense of a call for an ambulance on site. These spam calls are a waste of precious time that could have been spent catering to actual emergencies and supporting people. These incidents occur due to a lack of education and awareness. Educating the youth about the significance of emergency care and its resources can help prevent such misuse.
- Ambulance services conduct workshops and programs to spread awareness about not just the importance of an ambulance on site but also other health topics. They can help in encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Ambulance services are thus integral to every community. They play an important and varied role in promoting public health. Its education and awareness are necessary to optimize the resources available now and to advance the field of emergency services.
