PeterB
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I lived in El Salvador in Central America for a few years, and I visit occasionally. I thought you guys might find this interesting.
When there is an emergency in that country, a person can call 911, same as here. But if that emergency is medical, they send a RED CROSS Ambulance.
So one time I saw a girl having a seizure in a public place. Someone had called 911. The Red Cross guys get there, and they are carrying a duffel bag. There are bandages in it, and a blanket.
No stethescope, no BVM's, no AED, no medical equipment whatsoever. They were not wearing gloves. I went and looked inside the ambulance, it was just a white SUV with a stretcher in it that looks 50 years old. Not a gurney, a stretcher.
So these two guys tried to talk to the girl, she was postictal, then they lifted her up and put her on the stretcher. Took her away.
That's it. So they don't even have BLS there. Just transportation to the hospital.
I sometimes ask my friends down there if they have seen any upgrade in their 911 medical emergency service, and they tell me there is not enough money in the country to train or equip EMS.
So I think we should be happy we have an EMS system here in the States even though it is not perfect. Everyone all over the world deserves to have the same treatment, its sad that because of no money or other reasons, people who have an accident are almost on their own.
When there is an emergency in that country, a person can call 911, same as here. But if that emergency is medical, they send a RED CROSS Ambulance.
So one time I saw a girl having a seizure in a public place. Someone had called 911. The Red Cross guys get there, and they are carrying a duffel bag. There are bandages in it, and a blanket.
No stethescope, no BVM's, no AED, no medical equipment whatsoever. They were not wearing gloves. I went and looked inside the ambulance, it was just a white SUV with a stretcher in it that looks 50 years old. Not a gurney, a stretcher.
So these two guys tried to talk to the girl, she was postictal, then they lifted her up and put her on the stretcher. Took her away.
That's it. So they don't even have BLS there. Just transportation to the hospital.
I sometimes ask my friends down there if they have seen any upgrade in their 911 medical emergency service, and they tell me there is not enough money in the country to train or equip EMS.
So I think we should be happy we have an EMS system here in the States even though it is not perfect. Everyone all over the world deserves to have the same treatment, its sad that because of no money or other reasons, people who have an accident are almost on their own.