All About Ambulance Service

An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. They can rapidly transport paramedics and other first responders to the scene, carry equipment for administering emergency care and transport patients to hospital or other definitive care.

Ambulance service

Types Of Ambulance

There are two categories of ambulances. They are based on ambulance service and ambulance design.

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Ambulance Service

1. Emergency Ambulance: this ambulance has space for stretcher and equipment to rescue an emergency patient and begin treatment before getting to hospital. It carries paramedics too.

2. Patient Ambulance: this type of ambulance oy have a stecher to rescue a patient during an emergency and take the person to the hospital. No treatment is administered enroute. No paramedics. Just the driver.

3. Ambulance Bus: this is designed to rescue a large number of emergency patients to the hospital at the same time. Na paramedics. Just the driver.

4. Charity Ambulance: this ambulance service is designed for medically infirm individuals such as elderly and crippled that cannot move easily. They carry these people to special events and occasions such as exhibitions. No paramedics. Just the ambulance.

5. Bariatric Ambulance: this ambulance is design to carry very obese patients to places with emergency equipment for them in case of crisis. No paramedics in most cases.

Ambulance Design

There are different types of ambulance vehicles in use today. We have vans and pick-up trucks, regular cars for sitting patients, motorcycles or scooters, bicycles, helicopters, boats, trailers, horses and carts.

In the US, there are basically three types of ambulances vehicles.

1. The Type I ambulance is based on a pick up truck chassis, with a modular square “box” in back. This is usually what most people think of when they imagine a modern ambulance. These ambulances are typically longer with a longer wheelbase, and a full size cab. They are difficult to take on traffic.

2. Type II ambulances are built on a cargo van chassis, and the patient compartment is the width of the van. There’s no modular “box” on the back, and everything is contained inside the van body. These ambulances are generally smaller, and less expensive than type I and type III ambulances. Easy to maneuver in traffic.

3. Type III ambulances have the modular box patient care compartment, but the front cab is based on a cargo van front end. These are typically less roomy in the cab than a Type I, but considerably larger in the back than a type II. Somewhat in-between in traffic.

4. There is a fourth type of ambulance that’s becoming more popular, among ambulance services. These are called “Medium Truck Chassis'' ambulances. They are built on the chassis of a medium sized commercial truck, rather than a standard pickup truck. They have the modular box patient compartment, and the cab is much roomier. The downside is that they sit much higher, are considerably larger, and much more expensive than the more traditional type ambulances.

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Comprehensive Ambulance Equipment Checklist

1. Artery Forceps

2. Bag valve Mask Adult

3. Bag valve Mask Child

4. Bag valve Mask neonatal

5. Bedpans

6. Blankets

7. Sheets

8. Pillow cases

9. Pillows

10. Duvets

11. Duvet covers

12. Cervical Collar adjustable non disposable (pk 4)

13. Cervical Collar adjustable disposable (pk 3)

14. Patient Monitoring device

15. S.E.D/KED

16. Kidney dish

17. Laryngoscope sets

18. Assorted non disposable splint sets

19. MAST suits

20. Needle holder

21. Magills forceps Adult

22. Magills forceps Child

23. Monitor / Defibrillator + cover with NiBP

24. Monitor / Defibrillator + cover NiBP and Pacing

25. Nihon kohden battery

26. Monitor Defibrillator 

27. Lifepak battery

28. Recharge batteries

29. Monitor additional consumables 

30. Single battery charger

31. AED

32. AED pads 

33. Scissors

34. Gallipots with cover

35. Dissecting forceps

36. Mosquito Forceps

37. PEEP valve

38. Pressure infusor

39. Pulse Oximeter & probe

40. Paediatric Sensor

41. Pupil torch

42. Safety Goggles

43. Heavy duty scissors

44. Scoop stretchers

45. Sphygmomanometer

46. Stethoscope

47. Suction units + carry bag

48. 1 hour syringe driver

49. Tourniquet

50. Thermometer

51. Trac III adult

52. Trauma Board

53. Spider harness

54. Urinal

55. Ventilator

56. Self loading stretcher

57. Head Blocks

58. Jump bags

59. Drug bag 

60. Insulation pouch

61. Portable Pin index Oxygen gauges

62. Oxygen flow meter high pressure 

(mains+vent)

63. Oxygen outlet

64. Flowmeter + humidifier

65. Oxygen hose+connector

66. Flowmeter / humidifier adapter

67. Pin Index oxygen reducer (ventilator)

68. Medical Oxygen gas

69. Cylinder holder

70. Light Bar strobe type

71. Revolving lamp

72. Stair chair

73. Traffic wand

74. Hallagan tool

75. Extrication gloves

76. Helmet

77. Hemo Glucose tester

78. Reflective jacket

In addition to these, there are many other equipment fitted with ambulances. The nature and type of equipment is dependent on the type of ambulance and service.

Ambulance Crew

An emergency physician, paramedics and/or registered nurses. Boat or car driver is very crucial for water and land vehicles. Then we have the pilot and his crew members for the air ambulance. Ambulance Crew have different qualifications to be enlisted. Different countries have different qualifications.