A PLAN FOR A CASUALTY CARE AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) IN THE UNITED STATES ARE SOLELY INADEQUATE. A SOLDIER WOUNDED IN BATTLE IS SERVED BY SPECIALLY DESIGNED VEHICLE AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND BY HIGHLY TRAINED PERSONNEL, BUT NONE OF THIS IS AVAILABLE TO THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, PARTICULARLY ONE INJURED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MAJOR EFFORT IN IMPROVING EMERGENCY CAR AND TRANSPORTATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO PLANNING THE PHYSICAL LOCATION OF AMBULANCE SERVICES, EMERGENCY ROOMS FOR PRIMARY CARE, AND CENTERS FOR DEFINITIVE TREATMENT. EVERY EMS AREA DIFFERS IN ECONOMIC, MANPOWER, AND ANCILLARY SUPPORT RESOURCES, AND ORGANIZATION OR REORGANIZATION OF EMS SYSTEMS MUST REFLECT THESE CONSIDERATIONS. A POPULATION OF 80,000 IS NEEDED TO UNDERWRITE AN AMBULANCE SERVICE PURELY FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW; AREAS WITH LESS POPULATION REQUIRE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SUBSIDIZATION, VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, OR BOTH. A HOSPITAL BED CAPACITY OF MORE THAN 100 APPEARS TO BE NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A MINIMALLY STAFFED AND EQUIPPED EMERGENCY ROOM ON A 24-HOUR BASIS. PROVISION OF AN EFFECTIVE EMS SYSTEM IN A STATE LIKE MISSOURI, WHICH HAS ONLY FOUR METROPOLITAN AREAS AND A PRIMARILY RURAL ORIENTATION, IS THEREFORE A CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGE. THE STATEWIDE MISSOURI EMS SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL UNDER THE HEADINGS PERSONNEL, EMS ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS, THE EMS AMBULANCE, THE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, ROUTINE MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, AND THE MOBILE EMS STATION.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Sponsored by Committee on Motorist Services. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Authors:
- Wheeler, Robert J
- Dale, Marjorie
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Conference:
- 51st Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
- Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
- Date: 1972-1-17 to 1972-1-21
- Publication Date: 1972
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Tables;
- Pagination: pp 37-44
- Monograph Title: Emergency communications
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Serial:
- Highway Research Record
- Issue Number: 402
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Communication systems; Disasters and emergency operations; Emergency vehicles; Hazards and emergency operations; Hospitals; Medical services; Personnel; Radio; Rural areas; Rural highways
- Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Society;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00226510
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Apr 2 1973 12:00AM