It has been suggested that Emergency Medical Care be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

An Emergency medical service (abbreviated to initialism "EMS" in many countries) is a service providing out-of-hospital acute care and transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient believes constitutes a medical emergency. The most common and recognized EMS type is an ambulance organization. Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... Emergency Medical Care is an elite discipline, often combining Emergency Medicine with Medical Rescue. ... Look up acronym, initialism, alphabetism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In medicine, an acute disease is a disease with either or both of: a rapid onset; a short course (as opposed to a chronic course). ... {{Otheruses4|the medical term|the Australian television series|Medical Emergenc an immediate threat to a persons life or long term health. ... An ambulance in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico A Helicopter used as an Ambulance. ...

In some places, an EMS organization may also be called a first aid squad,^[1] emergency squad,^[2] rescue squad,^[3] ambulance squad,^[4] ambulance service,^[5] ambulance corps^[6] or life squad.^[7]

The aim of EMS is to provide treatment to those in need of urgent medical care, with the goal of either satisfactorily treating the malady, or arranging for timely removal of the patient to the next point of definitive care. This is most likely an emergency department at a hospital or another place where physicians are available. In some jurisdictions, EMS units may handle technical rescue operations such as extrication, water rescue, and search and rescue.^[8] A patient having his blood pressure taken by a doctor. ... The emergency department (ED), sometimes termed the emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW), accident & emergency (A&E) department or casualty department is a hospital or primary care department that provides initial treatment to patients with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening and... For the town in the Republic of Ireland, see Hospital, County Limerick. ...

In most places in the world, the EMS is summoned by members of the public (or other emergency services, businesses or authority) via an emergency telephone number which puts them in contact with the control centre for the EMS, who will then dispatch a suitable resource to deal with the situation.^[9] Many countries public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number, that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. ...

Throughout the world, there are many differing qualification levels which may be held by members of an EMS, from drivers with no medical training, or a basic first aid certificate, to a fully qualified paramedic or physician The Star of Life, a globally recognised symbol for emergency medical services A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical service, who responds to medical and trauma emergencies in the pre-hospital environment, provides emergency treatment and, when appropriate, transports a patient to definitive care... For other uses, see Doctor. ...

History

Main article: Ambulance#History

Emergency care in the field has been rendered in different forms since the beginning of recorded history. The New Testament contains the parable of the Good Samaritan, where a man who was beaten is cared for by a Samaritan. Luke 10:34 (NIV) - "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." Also during the Middle Ages, the Knights of St. John, also known as the Knights of Malta, began to help their injured comrades, forming the basis of the modern Order of Malta Ambulance Corps and St John Ambulance movements. An ambulance in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico A Helicopter used as an Ambulance. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the , Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) is a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide... Logo of OMAC The Order of Malta Ambulance Corps (OMAC) is a charitable voluntary organisation in Ireland. ...

The first record of ambulances being used for emergency purposes was the use by Queen Isabella of Spain, in 1487. The Spanish army of the time was treated extremely well and attracted volunteers from across the continent, and part of this was the first military hospitals or 'ambulancias', although injured soldiers were not picked up for treatment until after the cessation of the battle, resulting in many dying on the field. An ambulance in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico A Helicopter used as an Ambulance. ... Isabella of Castile (Spanish: Ysabel, Isabel or Isabela) (22 April 1451 - 26 November 1504) was queen of Castile. ...

A major change in usage of ambulances in battle came about with the ambulances volantes designed by Dominique Jean Larrey (1766–1842), Napoleon Bonaparte’s chief physician. Larrey was present at the battle of Spires, between the French and Prussians, and was distressed by the fact that wounded soldiers were not picked up by the numerous ambulances (which Napoleon required to be stationed two and half miles back from the scene of battle) until after hostilities had ceased, and set about developing a new ambulance system.^[10] Having decided against using the Norman system of horse litters, he settled on two- or four-wheeled horse-drawn wagons, which were used to transport fallen soldiers from the (active) battlefield after they had received early treatment in the field. These 'flying ambulances' were first used by Napoleon's Army of the Rhine is 1793. Larrey subsequently developed similar services for Napoleon's other armies, and adapted his ambulances to the conditions, including developing a litter which could be carried by a camel for a campaign in Egypt. Dominique Jean Larrey, portrait by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, beginning of 19th century. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... For other uses, see Camel (disambiguation). ...

In civilian ambulances, a major advance was made (which in future years would come to shape policy on hospitals and ambulances) with the introduction of a transport carriage for cholera patients in London during 1832. The statement on the carriage, as printed in The Times, said "The curative process commences the instant the patient is put in to the carriage; time is saved which can be given to the care of the patient; the patient may be driven to the hospital so speedily that the hospitals may be less numerous and located at greater distances from each other".^[10] This tenet of ambulances providing instant care, allowing hospitals to spaced further apart, displays itself in modern emergency medical planning. Cholera (or Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is an extreme diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ...

The first known hospital-based ambulance service operated out of Commercial Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio (now the Cincinnati General) by 1865.^[10] This was soon followed by other services, notably the New York service provided out of Bellvue Hospital which started in 1869 with ambulances carrying medical equipment, such as splints, a stomach pump, morphine, and brandy, reflecting contemporary medicine. Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the state. ... Splint may mean: Splint (programming tool), a tool for checking computer programs Splint (medicine), a medical device for the immobilisation of limbs or spine This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article is about the drug. ... For other uses, see Brandy (disambiguation). ...

A 1948 Cadillac A. J. Miller ambulance. The A. J. Miller company purchased this car from Cadillac, then modified it to turn it into an ambulance. The resemblance to a hearse is obvious. (see text)

Also in the late 19th century, the automobile was being developed, and in addition to horse-drawn models, early 20th century ambulances were powered by steam, gasoline, and electricity, reflecting the competing automotive technologies then in existence. However, the first motorised ambulance was brought into service in the last year of the 19th century, with the Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, taking delivery of the first automobile ambulance, donated by 500 prominent local businessmen, in February 1899.^[10] This was followed in 1900 by New York city, who extolled its virtues of greater speed, more safety for the patient, faster stopping and a smoother ride. These first two automobile ambulances were electrically powered with 2hp motors on the rear axle.^[10] Image File history File links DFVAC_1948_Cadillac_Miller_Meteor_front_passenger_quarter. ... Image File history File links DFVAC_1948_Cadillac_Miller_Meteor_front_passenger_quarter. ... For other uses, see Cadillac (disambiguation). ... Funeral carriage, Museum of Funeral Customs For the extreme metal band, see Hearse (band) A hearse is a funeral vehicle, a conveyance for the coffin from e. ... “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... For other uses, see Steam (disambiguation). ... Petrol redirects here. ... Electricity (from New Latin Ä“lectricus, amberlike) is a general term for a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. ... Micheal Reese Hospital was founded in 1881. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City 234. ...

During World War One, further advances were made in providing care before and during transport – traction splints were introduced during World War I, and were found to have a positive effect on the morbidity and mortality of patients with leg fractures. Two-way radios became available shortly after World War I, enabling for more efficient radio dispatch of ambulances in some areas. Shortly before World War II, then, a modern ambulance carried advanced medical equipment, was staffed by a physician, and was dispatched by radio. In many locations, however, ambulances were hearses - the only available vehicle that could carry a recumbent patient - and were thus frequently run by funeral homes. These vehicles, which could serve either purpose, were known as combination cars]].^[11][12] A traction splint is used to treat severe bone fractures by holding the broken bone immobile and by applying pressure along its length. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... In medicine, epidemiology and actuarial science, the term morbidity can refer to the state of being diseased (from Latin morbidus: sick, unhealthy), the degree or severity of a disease, the prevalence of a disease: the total number of cases in a particular population at a particular point in time, the... Motorola HT1000 hand-held two-way radio A two-way radio is a radio that can both transmit and receive (a transceiver), unlike a broadcast receiver which only receives content one way. ... Dispatch is a procedure for assigning customers to taxicabs, couriers, emergency services, and other mobile units. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Doctor. ... Funeral carriage, Museum of Funeral Customs For the extreme metal band, see Hearse (band) A hearse is a funeral vehicle, a conveyance for the coffin from e. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A combination car was a vehicle built upon a (usually Cadillac) professional car chassis which could be employed either as a hearse or as an ambulance, and had the capability of being swapped between those roles without much difficulty. ...

Advances in the 1960s, especially the development of CPR & defibrillation as the standard form of care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, along with new pharmaceuticals, led to changes in the tasks of the ambulances. In Ireland, a mobile coronary care ambulance successfully resuscitated patients using these technologies; and well-developed studies demonstrated the need for overhauling ambulance services. One well-known report in the USA during that time was Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society. This report is commonly known as The White Paper. These studies, along with the White Paper report, placed pressure on governments to improve emergency care in general, including the care provided by ambulance services. Part of the result was the creation of standards in ambulance construction concerning the internal height of the patient care area (to allow for an attendant to continue to care for the patient during transport), in the equipment (and thus weight) that an ambulance had to carry, and several other factors. Few, or perhaps none, of the then-available ambulances could meet these standards. For other meanings of CPR, see CPR (disambiguation). ... Typical view of defibrillation in progress, with the operator at the head, but clear of contact with the patient Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. ... Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... “Standard” redirects here. ...

The purpose of EMS

The Star of Life

An EMS exists to fulfil the basic principles of First Aid, which are to Preserve Life, Prevent Further Injury and Promote Recovery. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... First aid is a series of simple, life-saving medical techniques that a non-doctor or layman can be trained to perform. ...

This can be built on further, and one commonly used system is outlined here:

• Early Detection (A member of the public finds the incident)
• Early Reporting (The emergency services are summoned)
• Early Response (The emergency services get to scene quickly)
• Good On Scene Care (appropriate treatment is given)
• Care in Transit (the patient is looked after on the way to hospital)
• Transfer to Definitive Care (the patient is handed to the care of a physician)

This system is signified by the Star of Life shown here, where each of the 'arms' to the star represent one of the 6 points The Star of Life The Star of Life is a blue, six-pointed star, outlined with a white border which features the Rod of Asclepius in the center, originally designed and governed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (under the United States Department of Transportation, DOT). ...

EMS providers

Depending on your country, area within in country, or clinical need, EMS may be provided by one (or several) organisations, with different reasons for operating the service. Some countries closely regulate the industry (and may require anyone operating the EMS to be qualified to a set level), whereas others allow quite wide differences between types of operator.

1. Government EMS - Operating separately from (although alongside) the fire and police service of the area, these ambulances are funded by local or national government. In some countries, these only tend to be found in big cities, whereas in countries such as the United Kingdom, almost all emergency ambulances are part of the NHS
2. Fire or Police Linked Service - In many countries (USA, France, Germany, Japan), many ambulances are operated by the local fire or police service. This is particularly common in rural areas, where maintaining a separate service is not necessarily cost effective. This can lead, in some instances, to an illness or injury being attended by a vehicle other than an ambulance, such as Fire truck.
3. Voluntary EMS - Some charities or non-profit companies operate ambulances, both the an emergency and patient transport function. This may be along similar lines to volunteer Fire companies and either community or privately owned. They may be linked to a voluntary fire service, with volunteers providing both services. There are also charities who focus on providing ambulances for the community, or for cover at private events (sports etc.). The Red Cross provides this service in many countries across the world on a volunteer basis (and in others as a Private Ambulance Service), as do some other smaller organisations such as St John Ambulance. In some countries, these volunteer ambulances may be seen providing support to the full time ambulance crews during times of emergency.
4. Private Ambulance Service - Normal commercial companies with paid employees, but often on contract to the local or national government. Many private companies provide only the patient transport elements of ambulance care (i.e. non urgent), but in some places, they are also contracted to provide emergency care, or to form a 'second tier' response, where they only respond to emergencies when all of the full-time emergency ambulance crews are busy or to respond to non-emergency home calls, such as "pick up and put back" calls, which are made when a person falls without injury, but needs help getting up. Dependant on their contract they might also provide "first aid only" services, such as providing bandages (but not a trip to the hospital emergency room) to a child who skinned his/her knees at a playground. They may also be contracted by private clients to provide standby EMS for large events such as sports, conventions, or parades.
5. Combined Emergency Service - these are full service emergency service agencies, which may be found in places such as airports or large colleges and universities. Their key feature is that all personnel are trained not only in ambulance (EMT) care, but as a firefighter and a peace officer (police function). They may also be found in some smaller towns and cities which do not have the resource or requirement for separate services. This multifunctionality allows to make the most of limited resource or budget, but having a single team respond to any emergency.
6. Hospital Based Service - Some hospitals may provide their own ambulance service as a service to the community, or where ambulance care is unreliable or chargeable. Their use would be dependent on using the services of the providing hospital.

The National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly-funded healthcare system of the United Kingdom. ... Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are settled places outside towns and cities. ... Engine 4 - City of Chico, CA A Fire Engine is one of many specialized fire suppression apparatuses. ... The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... St. ...

Rural/Frontier EMS

The face of rural/frontier EMS has changed dramatically since the 1966 National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council (NAS-NRC) white paper “Accidental Death and Disability: the Neglected Disease of Modern Society” marked the conception of modern EMS. Ambulance service of that era was more about a fast ride than medical care. It was provided as a low-investment by-product service of funeral homes and others whose primary business already had the requisite type of vehicle.

The NAS-NRC white paper revealed the ill-equipped, ill-trained nature of these services, as well as the potential to do more harm than good. Subsequent reforms led to the birth of modern EMS with the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act of 1973. As standards for training, equipment and care changed, so, too, did the providers of rural/frontier EMS. Dedicated ambulance vehicles staffed by trained EMTs operated by independent volunteer organizations, volunteer fire departments, local hospitals, and others replaced hearses. Many of the previous operators balked at the required investment to meet emerging standards.

In the past three decades, the EMS field, with its capabilities and role as a unique discipline at the crossroads of medicine, public health and public safety, has matured dramatically. At a rural car crash, the gold standard medical response has gone from hearse to helicopter. The pressure to provide advanced life support (ALS), created at first by enthusiastic EMTs within EMS agencies themselves, has become compounded by media-generated public expectation. The drive to provide ALS has had an effect similar to that experienced by funeral home ambulance operators pressed to provide safe, basic care in the early 1970s.

EMS agencies dependent on volunteers for staffing and fund-raising for revenue, have found advancement difficult. Indeed, it is often a challenge to continue to assure the timely response of a basic life support ambulance in these settings. In the current era of preparing public safety for effective response to manage terrorist and other events, the reality of rural/frontier EMS is that the infrastructure upon which to build such a response is itself in jeopardy. The 1996 NHTSA “EMS Agenda for the Future,”41 the visionary guide upon which this document is based, states that “EMS of the future will be community-based health management which is fully integrated with the overall health care system.” A theme running through the Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future is that such EMS integration is not only a reasonable approach to making community health care more seamless and to meeting community health care needs that might not otherwise be met, but that providing a variety of EMS-based community health services may be crucial to the survival and advancement of many rural/frontier EMS agencies.

Another related theme is that EMS should not only weave itself into the local health care system but into the fabric of the community itself. Communities can objectively assess and publicly discuss the level and type of EMS care available, consider other options and accompanying costs, and then select a model to subsidize. Where this happens through a well-orchestrated and timely process of informed self-determination, community EMS can be preserved and advanced levels of care can be attained.

The National Rural Health Association National Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services Agenda for the Future document suggests other means of maintaining an effective EMS presence as well such as alternative methods of delivering advanced life support back-up, and the formation of regional cooperatives for medical oversight, quality improvement, data collection and processing. This document can be accessed here and was used to sorces the above information. The National Rural Health Associaton(NRHA) is a national nonprofit membership organization with more than 18,000 members. ...

Levels of care

A PHTLS exercise of the Israeli EMS involving Paramedics and Emergency medical technicians, and first responders utilising ALS equipment like EKGs as well as a backboard.

Dependent on the country and area in which the service operates, and what type of provider it is, there may be any one of several levels of EMS crew. They can broadly be divided in to Basic Life Support (BLS) qualifications (responders, ambulance technicians) which usually involves non-invasive procedures and Advanced Life Support (ALS) qualifications (higher level technicians and paramedics) which includes more invasive procedures (such as intubation and infusion). Some of the most common qualification terms are: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is a national EMS professional association representing all EMTs and Paramedics. ... The Magen David Adom emblem The Magen David Adom (Hebrew: ‎) is Israels national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. ... The Star of Life, a globally recognised symbol for emergency medical services A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical service, who responds to medical and trauma emergencies in the pre-hospital environment, provides emergency treatment and, when appropriate, transports a patient to definitive care... The Star of Life, a global symbol for medical service EMTs loading an injured skier into an ambulance An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is an emergency responder trained to provide emergency medical services to the critically ill and injured. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Advanced Life Support (ALS) is a treatment consensus for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cardiac arrest and related medical problems, as agreed in Europe by the European Resuscitation Council, most recently in 2005. ... “QRS” redirects here. ... A long spine board is a medical device used for the scoop and transportation of patients, especially when a spine trauma is suspected. ...

1. First Responder - A person who arrives first at the scene of an incident^[13], and whose job is to provide early critical care such as CPR or using an AED. First responders may be dispatched by the ambulance service, may be passers-by, or may be dispatched to the scene from other agencies, such as the police or fire departments.
2. Ambulance Driver - Some services employ staff with no medical qualification (or just a first aid certificate) whose job is to simply drive the patients from place to place
3. Ambulance Care Assistant - Have varying levels of training across the world, but these staff are usually only required to perform patient transport duties (which can include stretcher or wheelchair cases), rather than acute care^[14]. Dependant on provider, they may be trained in first aid or extended stills such as use of an AED, oxygen therapy and other live saving or palliative skills. In some services, they may provide emergency cover when other units are not available, or when accompanied by a fully qualified technician or paramedic.
4. Emergency medical technician - Also known as Ambulance Technician. Technicians are usually able to perform a wide range of emergency care skills, such as defibrillation, spinal care, and oxygen therapy. Some countries split this term in to several levels (such as in the US, where there is EMT-I and EMT-II)^[15]. This title is not protected in all countries, such as in Great Britain, where anyone can legally call themselves an EMT, even without any training.
5. Paramedic - This is a high level of medical training and usually involves key skills not permissible for technicians, including cannulation (and with it the ability to use a range of drugs such as morphine), cardiac monitoring, intubation and other skills such as performing a cricothyrotomy^[16]. In many countries, this is a protected title, and use of it without the relevant qualification may result in criminal prosecution^[17].
6. Emergency Care Practitioner - This is a position sometimes called a 'super paramedic' and is designed to bridge the link between ambulance care and the care of a general practitioner. ECPs are university graduates in Emergency Medical Care^[18] or qualified paramedics who have undergone further training^[19], and are authorized to perform specialized emergency techniques using expert emergency drugs. Additionally some may prescribe medicines (from a limited list) for longer term care, such as antibiotics. With respect to a Primary Health Care setting, they are also educated in a range of Diagnostic techniques.
7. Registered nurse (RN) - Some services use nurses for ambulance work, and as with doctors, this is mostly as air-medical rescuers or critical care transport providers, often in conjunction with a technician or paramedic. They may bring extra skills to the care of the patient, especially those who may be critically ill or injured in locations that do not enjoy close proximity to a high level of definitive care such as trauma, cardiac, or stroke centers.
8. Doctor - Some ambulance services - most notably air ambulances^[20][21]- will employ physicians to attend on the ambulances, bringing a full range of additional skills such as use of prescription medicines

Depending on the service provider, but most commonly in the Fire and Police linked or combined services, the EMS crew members may also be certified or trained in skills such as water rescue or motor vehicle extrication using the jaws of life in medically directed rescue. Some EMS providers offer different kinds of rescue service including rope rescue, cave rescue, water rescue, extrication, search and rescue and more. Some EMS organisations may have a whole variety of vehicles including boats, response cars and ambulances to deal with the demands of their particular service. First responder is a term used by national authorities for local law enforcement, local Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), local firemen and fire rescue. ... For other meanings of CPR, see CPR (disambiguation). ... An automated external defibrillator, open and ready for pads to be attached An Automated External Defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient,[1] and is able to treat them by application... Firefighter with an axe A firefighter, sometimes still called a fireman though women have increasingly joined firefighting units, is a person who is trained and equipped to put out fires, rescue people and in some areas provide emergency medical services. ... The Star of Life, a global symbol for medical service EMTs loading an injured skier into an ambulance An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is an emergency responder trained to provide emergency medical services to the critically ill and injured. ... Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA), transport non-emergency patients to and from hospital for pre-arranged appointments. ... An automated external defibrillator, open and ready for pads to be attached An Automated External Defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient,[1] and is able to treat them by application... Palliative care is any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of the symptoms of a disease or slows its progress rather than providing a cure. ... The Star of Life, a global symbol for medical service EMTs loading an injured skier into an ambulance An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is an emergency responder trained to provide emergency medical services to the critically ill and injured. ... Typical view of defibrillation in progress, with the operator at the head, but clear of contact with the patient Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. ... Oxygen first aid kit showing a demand valve and a constant flow mask Oxygen therapy is the administration of oxygen as a therapeutic modality. ... The Star of Life, a globally recognised symbol for emergency medical services A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical service, who responds to medical and trauma emergencies in the pre-hospital environment, provides emergency treatment and, when appropriate, transports a patient to definitive care... Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the giving of liquid substances directly into a vein. ... The phrase cardiac monitoring generally refers to continuous electrocardiography with assessment of the patients condition relative to their cardiac rhythm. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... In cricothyrotomy, the incision or puncture is made through the cricothyroid membrane inbetween the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage. ... An Emergency Care Practitioner or ECP is a paramedic who has taken additional qualifications, usually at university, and has extra skills over and above those of a standard paramedic or other ambulance crew such as technicians. ... A general practitioner (GP), family physician or family practitioner (FP) is a medical doctor who provides primary care. ... Emergency Medical Care is an elite discipline, often combining Emergency Medicine with Medical Rescue. ... A registered nurse (RN), is a health care professional responsible for implementing the practice of nursing through the use of the nursing process (in concert with other health care professionals). ... Ontario Health air ambulance An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot easily or quickly reach the scene or the patient needs to be repositioned at a distance where air transportation is most practical. ... The Jaws Of Life, with spreader and cutter capability The Jaws of Life, or Hurst Tool, is a line of tools originally developed by Hurst Performance and now under the registered trademark of Hale Products, Inc. ...

In some places, law requires that all rescue team members be medically certified and in others the main rescue service (such as a Fire Department) do not have medical staff and leave all rescue up to an EMS department. Firefighter with an axe A firefighter, sometimes still called a fireman though women have increasingly joined firefighting units, is a person who is trained and equipped to put out fires, rescue people and in some areas provide emergency medical services. ...

Clinical governance

In most areas, the EMS crews will work under the auspices of a medical director, usually a medical doctor, who will set and enforce the standards of clinical care expected of them. In some areas, such as the United Kingdom, the ambulance crew will be independent clinicians with their own clinical discretion and liability for their own actions.^{[citation needed]}

Prehospital care strategies

See Organization of the emergency medical assistance: Prehospital care strategies. The emergency medical assistance is the cares that are given to victims of accidents (casualties), of malaise or of sudden manifestations of diseases (sudden break out of a disease or acute period of a chronic disease. ...

See also

• First Aid
• battlefield medicine
• rescue squad
• extrication
• Emergency Medical Services in the United States

First aid is a series of simple, life-saving medical techniques that a non-doctor or layman can be trained to perform. ... An illustration showing a variety of wounds from the Feldbuch der Wundarznei (Field manual for the treatment of wounds) by Hans von Gersdorff, (1517). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Vehicle extrication is the process of removing a person from a vehicle that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident when conventional means of exit are impossible or unadvisable. ... Emergency Medical Services (herein, EMS) in the United States is regulated at its most basic level by the federal government, who sets the minimum standards that all states must meet; but much more strictly by individual state governments, who often require higher standards of the services they oversee. ...

References

• Planning Emergency Medical Communications: Volume 2, Local/Regional Level Planning Guide, (Washington, D.C.: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, US Department of Transportation, 1995).

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Homepage
• National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation Homepage
• National EMS Memorial Service Webpage
• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
• Emergency Medical Services at the Open Directory Project
• National Rural and Frontier Emergency Medical Services Agenda for the Future