Fly-car
Encyclopedia
An ambulance emergency response vehicle is a vehicle operated by an emergency medical service to respond to medical emergencies either in addition to, or in place of, an ambulance
capable of transporting patients.
They can also be known as a fly car, echo unit, rapid response vehicle (RRV), quick response vehicle (QRV), quick response service (QRS), emergency response unit (ERU), medic-car, paramedic chase car, fast response unit (FRU), tango unit or simply an ambulance car (PRU) Paramedic Response Unit.
Emergency response vehicles can be used to reach a scene more quickly than a standard ambulance, as they may be able to move through traffic with greater ease, or travel at greater speed, to bring additional or more skilled resource to a scene, or to simply to avoid sending too much resource to medical problems that do not require it.
The vehicle may be a production car (often a station wagon
or SUV as they have greater carrying capacity) which is provided and manned by an emergency medical service organization in order to provide transport to their staff. The fly-car enables the crew (often a lone responder) to bring their equipment quickly to the scene of an emergency, and may carry most of the same equipment as a full size ambulance
, although it is likely to be limited in its capacity to transport patients.
Such vehicles can also provide first aid
assistance for patients who do not require hospital treatment, and can be treated at the scene by the crew on site (such as cuts and bruises to non-dangerous body areas), which saves conventional ambulances for other, more urgent jobs.
This can represent a resource saving on several levels, with most fly-cars costing much less than full size ambulances, and because they can often be staffed by a single person (ambulances require a minimum of two crew members: a driver and an attendant).
Fly-cars can also be used to improve response times. This especially applies in areas such as busy roads, where the smaller vehicles are able to move through traffic faster than a full size ambulance. Some fly-cars may also have off-road capabilities, giving them access to areas that traditional ambulances cannot reach.
Other uses for fly cars include work as a "supervisor" vehicle where an officer or supervisor responds to various calls but does not ride on the ambulance to the hospital. This principle especially applies where the fly-car is crewed by a paramedic, who can assist lower qualified staff, such as emergency medical technician
s on an ambulance, meaning fewer people at the higher qualification level are required. However, dependent on the jurisdiction and needs of the individual service, any level of emergency medical provider from first responder to doctor can be found on fly-cars.
Several European countries, such as Germany
and Austria
, with physician-led emergency services, there are Emergency Physician Rapid Response Cars (in German called NEF from NotarztEinsatzFahrzeug - Notarzt = Emergency Physician, Einsatz = Mission, Fahrzeug = Vehicle), staffed with at least an emergency physician and a paramedic.
In the Swedish medical system
, a fly-car (akutbil) can be equipped with a nurse specialized in anesthesia
who is specialized in pain management, paired together with a paramedic. Fly-cars can be staffed around the clock or during the busiest hours of the day and week in order to augment the capacity of the prehospital care provider and can respond both independently and in conjunction with one or more ambulances, air ambulance(s)
and other emergency services. As a result of new legislation requiring all ambulances to be equipped with at least one trained nurse, fly-cars have become less common.
A well-known example of a fly-car in the United States is Squad 51
from the 1970s era television series, "Emergency
".
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
capable of transporting patients.
They can also be known as a fly car, echo unit, rapid response vehicle (RRV), quick response vehicle (QRV), quick response service (QRS), emergency response unit (ERU), medic-car, paramedic chase car, fast response unit (FRU), tango unit or simply an ambulance car (PRU) Paramedic Response Unit.
Emergency response vehicles can be used to reach a scene more quickly than a standard ambulance, as they may be able to move through traffic with greater ease, or travel at greater speed, to bring additional or more skilled resource to a scene, or to simply to avoid sending too much resource to medical problems that do not require it.
The vehicle may be a production car (often a station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
or SUV as they have greater carrying capacity) which is provided and manned by an emergency medical service organization in order to provide transport to their staff. The fly-car enables the crew (often a lone responder) to bring their equipment quickly to the scene of an emergency, and may carry most of the same equipment as a full size ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, although it is likely to be limited in its capacity to transport patients.
Purpose
An emergency response vehicle can help emergency medical organizations use their resources more efficiently, sending this smaller vehicle to the scene of an emergency call, where they can assess an incident's severity (especially where there is reason to suspect the injury or illness is not serious) and call in additional help if required. Trisha Ecklund writes that the qrv is smaller than an ambulance so it can maneuver to places at a quicker pace.Such vehicles can also provide first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
assistance for patients who do not require hospital treatment, and can be treated at the scene by the crew on site (such as cuts and bruises to non-dangerous body areas), which saves conventional ambulances for other, more urgent jobs.
This can represent a resource saving on several levels, with most fly-cars costing much less than full size ambulances, and because they can often be staffed by a single person (ambulances require a minimum of two crew members: a driver and an attendant).
Fly-cars can also be used to improve response times. This especially applies in areas such as busy roads, where the smaller vehicles are able to move through traffic faster than a full size ambulance. Some fly-cars may also have off-road capabilities, giving them access to areas that traditional ambulances cannot reach.
Other uses for fly cars include work as a "supervisor" vehicle where an officer or supervisor responds to various calls but does not ride on the ambulance to the hospital. This principle especially applies where the fly-car is crewed by a paramedic, who can assist lower qualified staff, such as emergency medical technician
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
s on an ambulance, meaning fewer people at the higher qualification level are required. However, dependent on the jurisdiction and needs of the individual service, any level of emergency medical provider from first responder to doctor can be found on fly-cars.
Examples
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, with physician-led emergency services, there are Emergency Physician Rapid Response Cars (in German called NEF from NotarztEinsatzFahrzeug - Notarzt = Emergency Physician, Einsatz = Mission, Fahrzeug = Vehicle), staffed with at least an emergency physician and a paramedic.
Healthcare in Sweden
The Swedish health care system is mainly government-funded and decentralized, although private health care also exists. The health care system in Sweden is financed primarily through taxes levied by county councils and municipalities....
, a fly-car (akutbil) can be equipped with a nurse specialized in anesthesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
who is specialized in pain management, paired together with a paramedic. Fly-cars can be staffed around the clock or during the busiest hours of the day and week in order to augment the capacity of the prehospital care provider and can respond both independently and in conjunction with one or more ambulances, air ambulance(s)
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
and other emergency services. As a result of new legislation requiring all ambulances to be equipped with at least one trained nurse, fly-cars have become less common.
A well-known example of a fly-car in the United States is Squad 51
Squad 51
Squad 51 is a 1972 Dodge D-300 truck, one of 3 different rescue squad vehicles that were used in the filming of the television series Emergency!...
from the 1970s era television series, "Emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
".