Consider this point in U.S. EMS materials history

[mycrofft]

In the early 1970's field EMS was just gettting going and some of the tools (spineboards, splints) were frequently handmade locally, in part because EMS was being grown on the Fire Department framework and (according to Dennis Smith) at that point over 90% of firefighters were volunteers. Some tools from recent conflicts (tetrasnips, air splints, MAST trousers) were making it into the civlian world, ususally without clinical study.

In the Eighties, the tools started becoming more refined, more companies were formed to sell and devise them, some were being discarded, ambulances became DOT standardized.

Now, we are watching the third wave as it were, taking any idea with a unique aspect and patenting it for sale, equipment (especially vehicle) prices climbing, more procedures and tools from combat are making their way into the civilian market once again. Electronics make up a hugely greater part, as do plastics, disposables, and the use of batteries including rechargeables.

I feel we will see a proliferation of cheapjack and unnecessary toolls for sale, aftermarket and offbrand accessories such as AED electrodes will make inroads, and newer models of devices will come out more frequently.

What do you all see colming? IPhone apps? PC's as mobile monitors? Larger or smaller or a mix of ambulances?

 

[frdude1000]

History of Modern EMS Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqD_w4gFa0E

This gives you the whole history of EMS for anyone who wants to watch

 

[mycrofft]

I don't use this word, but the video is "awesome".

Thanks!

 

[engine173351]

I see what you're saying. If you look at photos of the equipment carried on ambulances in the 1970's, you'll notice that most of it looked as if it were taken right out of a supply room in a hospital, and it most likely was. The equipment wasn't made for EMS use initially.

 

[LucidResq]

I've heard discussion of putting those new portable ultrasounds on ambulances, which I think is completely asinine considering how much training it takes to perform and interpret them properly. No one is going to go through an appropriate amount of training to do them seeing as we can barely get people to complete an appropriate amount of training/education for the toys and duties we already have.

 

[firetender]

Two things

History of Modern EMS Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqD_w4gFa0E

This gives you the whole history of EMS for anyone who wants to watch

Terrific link and a great story being told. Yet, two things stand out for me.

First is that it neglects to mention how aggressive treatment in pre-hospital settings has been (generally) shown to be ill-advised when it comes to improving patient outcomes. Basically, it doesn't mention that most of the therapies that the paramedic program was founded upon have been debunked.

This really changes EVERYTHING because it means that EMS will have to be re-designed from the ground up.

The second, which may be the purpose of the piece, is that it seems to be preparing us for EMS to be adopted (slash adapted) by Fire departments. Though it recognizes the failure of the Fire system to adequately integrate EMS into it, it still concludes with the prediction that that is probably the way things will go.

 

[mycrofft]

Urban and rural fire service was chosen to carry EMS.

New York City actually had a rescue service for many years before the NHSTA created EMT's, but it was police.
I don't think anything needs to prepare us for fire service to adopt EMS, when EMS grew on the fire service like a vine on a trellis. Now fire service has to use EMS as a prop to maintain their strength for big emergencies.

Body of knowledge needs to be constantly studied as far as outcomes are concerned, and exploration of means to improve scouted and explored. That is science. What we mostly get now is politics and marketing.