# El Salvador EMS



## PeterB (May 24, 2009)

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.


----------



## nomofica (May 25, 2009)

That scares me...

So what happens if the patient codes on them or is in resp. distress? What do they do for that, punch him in the arm and say "Oh, walk it off?"


Yikes...


----------



## medic417 (May 25, 2009)

In parts of Mexico only one person responds.  They get bystanders to help lift patient then they drive them to the hospital.   If they code and the driver sees it they pull over and do CPR for a few minutes, resume driving, then stop if a long transport do cpr again, then drive, on and on, again and again, otra vez y otra vez.


----------



## medic417 (May 26, 2009)

No tengo mas posts.


----------



## JPINFV (May 26, 2009)

To be honest, though, people living in Mexico and El Salvador have bigger concerns than EMS. Especially Mexico.


----------



## medic417 (May 26, 2009)

Yup drug lords, gang violence.  You know like new york and L.A.


----------



## firecoins (May 26, 2009)

medic417 said:


> Yup drug lords, gang violence.  You know like new york and L.A.


Thats so 1987.  Today we are worried about IPhones and East Village bars.


----------



## AJ Hidell (May 26, 2009)

I spent six months in San Salvador at Base Aérea Ilopango during the 1980s.  Sounds like things haven't changed much since then, except for the advent of 911.  The guys we medevac'd in our helos got the best EMS care in the country.

Many Central and South American countries have EMS provided by the Red Cross.  Colombia also does, but they tend to have EMTs and nurses on-board.

I wouldn't worry too much about the inadequacies of Salvadoran EMS.  They're a mostly Catholic people.  They will replenish their population much faster than they can kill them off.


----------



## silver (May 26, 2009)

hmm i am going to el salvador for two weeks this winter. this doesnt make me feel any better.


----------



## PeterB (May 31, 2009)

Sorry I haven't been online in awhile. I read all your posts, very interesting. So I was not the only one in El Salvador who is now EMS....

The people there are really cool, but yes, the gang violence is bad. I was held up more than once, and I saw several dead people on the street from shootings or stabbings. Bystanders are not allowed to cover the body until the family identifies the victim.


----------



## PeterB (May 31, 2009)

Wow, in Mexico, only ONE EMT shows up? I wonder if he at least has an AED, or what training he has.


----------



## GR1N53N (Jun 26, 2009)

I've done a bit of travelling and volunteering (mostly english education-type stuff) in Latin America, but have always wanted to do some teaching/volunteer work down there in a first aid role.  I'm a Canadian Red Cross first aid instructor and have 3 years of experience in a first-response capacity (EMR).  In your opinion, PeterB, would I be of use in El Salvador?  And do you know who/how I could get in touch with an EMS service / 9-1-1 dispatch to help them?
I figure, an effective way to improve outcomes, given the current system, would be to train the 9-1-1 dispatchers to a standard first aid level, at least, so that they could guide callers through basic interventions (ie CPR) over the phone, as is done here.  Of course, I'd also like to train the ambulance techs (as that's what they seem to be) in some basic interventions, and do runs with them.


----------



## irvys (Jul 22, 2009)

*Ems in Trinidad and Tobago*

I am an EMT-B working in the republic of trinidad and tobago.
i went to walters state community collegue in Sevierville Tn, but as i finished my studies i returned to my country of residence (trinidad and tobago).
The public Ambulance service here is a brach off AMR, they operate in trinidad and GMR. there are no actual emt-p on a truck here, they might be hired in a contract with oil companies... the basic life support team here is VERY basic. no aed (but i heard they are coming soon). i work with a private  ambulance service here and  eventhough our abulance are fully equiped the work load is very weak.....there's no respect for healthcare providers here in trinidad...it's sad though....i just wanted to voice  that i regret not applying to stay and work in the USA. hopefully i will be able to migrate to Canada soon, have a good day, \


Irvys Juarez


----------



## KillTank (Aug 17, 2009)

medic417 said:


> Yup drug lords, gang violence.  You know like new york and L.A.



Nothing like New York and LA. I live right next to Juarez and people are killed everyday. 2 Officers I used to work with was killed over there for no reason.


----------



## Pataytay (Aug 18, 2009)

PeterB said:


> Sorry I haven't been online in awhile. I read all your posts, very interesting. So I was not the only one in El Salvador who is now EMS....
> 
> The people there are really cool, but yes, the gang violence is bad. I was held up more than once, and I saw several dead people on the street from shootings or stabbings. Bystanders are not allowed to cover the body until the family identifies the victim.



My home town :sad:


----------

