August 26, 2005 An ambulance of the future concept vehicle was unveiled at EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Expo in New Orleans yesterday. American Medical Response (AMR) and American Emergency Vehicles (AEV) showed their second-generation prototype which was jointly developed as part of research on providing advanced care to patients and improving safety in the ambulance industry. The first prototype debuted last year and travelled coast-to-coast, with hundreds of paramedics and EMTs inspecting the vehicle and providing detailed feedback for the development of a second model. The vehicle on display this weekend at EMS Expo is the result of the research undertaken with the first vehicle.
Concept Ambulance II features numerous innovations that protect medics, patients, other motorists and pedestrians from injury. The innovations also help ambulance teams save time in reaching emergency scenes and link easily with hospital personnel.
Innovations include:
- improved seating and restraints that allow two medics to treat patients while wearing safety belts (introduced because medics in today's ambulances often must ride unrestrained in order to take care of the patient);
external cameras and, inside the cab, a video monitor that help medics avoid colliding with another vehicle or other object;
a device that changes red lights to green at appropriately equipped intersections;
external lights alerting other motorists that medical treatment is underway on board the vehicle;
a Road Safety "black box" on-board computer system (similar to aircraft black boxes) that records vehicle speed, monitors the driver's safety behaviors (such as use of turn signals) and warns the driver about manoeuvres that exceed pre-set safety parameters;
highly reflective paint that makes the vehicle more conspicuous;
cabinets designed to lower the risk of injury for anyone who falls against them;
In Motion on-board mobile network gateway and GPS tracking;
Marvlis vehicle routing and mapping systems; and
wireless medical reporting that saves time, ensures accuracy and protects confidentiality in identifying patients, documenting treatment, and sharing data with hospital staff.
AMR is America's largest provider of ambulance service and AEV is the country's leading ambulance manufacturer.
Ron Thackery, Vice President of Professional Services at AMR, said: "This second prototype, Concept Ambulance II, incorporates many ideas that came from frontline emergency medical professionals who saw the first version of the vehicle. Thanks to them, this second design further increases safety and enhances patient care."
AMR and AEV representatives will show the vehicle at booth 500 in the EMS Expo vendor hall on Friday, August 26, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, August 27, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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