Interactive Ready for Review: Interactivities

An is an emergency medical vehicle that contains a driver's compartment, a patient compartment, equipment and supplies to provide care at the scene and during transport, and two-way radio communication. It must be designed and constructed to ensure maximum safety and comfort.

Ambulances should be white on the outside with an orange stripe, and should have blue lettering and reflective emblems. The Star of Life®, a six-pointed emblem that identifies ambulances that meet federal specifications, may be displayed on the sides, rear, and roof of the ambulance.

The ambulance should be climate-controlled, insulated, and easy to clean. The compartment should be large enough to accommodate two stretcher patients, two EMTs, and all the necessary equipment and supplies to take care of patients.

The nine phases of an ambulance call are preparation for the call, dispatch, en route to the scene, arrival at the scene, transferring the patient to the ambulance, en route to the receiving facility, at the receiving facility, en route to the station, and .

Specific patient care supplies should be carried on the ambulance, including basic medical equipment, airway management equipment and ventilation devices, suctioning equipment, oxygen delivery equipment, CPR equipment, and basic wound care supplies.

In addition, you must ensure that splinting supplies, childbirth supplies, and appropriate medications are on board.

, as permitted by medical control, should always be carried on the ambulance. A jump kit, patient transfer equipment, nonmedical supplies, and initial extrication and rescue equipment are also needed.

The driver must be qualified to drive the ambulance; he or she must be physically and emotionally fit, and have the proper attitude. The driver must know and follow safe driving practices.

In addition to ground ambulances, air ambulances in the form of fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters are used to evacuate patients, land at a crash scene, and transport patients to trauma facilities.