Emergency Medical Services (EMS) refer to a comprehensive system designed to provide prehospital emergency medical care, including rapid response, treatment, and transportation of patients to definitive care facilities.
An ambulance is a specially equipped vehicle used for transporting patients to medical facilities, typically staffed by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or paramedics.
A paramedic is an advanced level emergency medical provider trained to administer a wide range of life-saving interventions, including advanced airway management, medication administration, and cardiac monitoring.
An EMT is a healthcare professional trained to provide basic emergency medical care, including CPR, oxygen administration, bleeding control, and splinting.
Triage is the process of quickly assessing and prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition, ensuring that those with the most critical needs receive care first.
Response time refers to the duration it takes for EMS personnel to arrive at the scene of an emergency after receiving a call for assistance, often measured from the time of dispatch.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) involves advanced medical interventions provided by paramedics, such as cardiac monitoring, intravenous therapy, and advanced airway management.
Basic Life Support (BLS) includes fundamental emergency medical interventions provided by EMTs, such as CPR, first aid, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
A Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) is an event that overwhelms the local EMS resources, resulting in a large number of patients requiring medical attention simultaneously.
The dispatch center serves as the central hub for receiving emergency calls, coordinating EMS response, and dispatching appropriate resources to the scene.