Motorcycle ambulance
Encyclopedia
Motorcycle ambulances are a type of emergency vehicle
which either carries a solo paramedic
or first responder
to a patient; or is used with a trailer
or sidecar
for transporting patients. A motorcycle ambulance is able to respond to a medical emergency
much faster than a car or van in heavy traffic,
which can increase survival rates for patients suffering cardiac arrest
.
Fire Department has operated Honda motorcycle ambulances in a first responder role, to offset the influence of traffic on the response times of traditional ambulances. The motorcycles carry a variety of emergency care equipment (including basic extrication, technical rescue
, and firefighting gear) and are always deployed in two-man teams, with the lead vehicle carrying a first aid kit and intravenous fluids and the rear vehicle carrying more advanced equipment, including an automated external defibrillator
, suction devices, and emergency delivery kits.
Fire departments in other states, such as Minas Gerais
, Mato Grosso do Sul
and Pernambuco
, have also adopted motorcycle ambulances since 2008. In August 2008, SAMU
, the federal emergency medical services, purchased 400 motorcycle ambulances to be deployed nationwide between December 2008 and 2009.
Auxiliary Medical Service, another government-owned service, also has motorcycles.
and/or automated external defibrillator. The other motorcycles in this team may carry fire fighting and rescue equipment. Most crews are firefighters with training in first responder
, First Aid
, and/or paramedic
. Each crew member wears a light weight fire suit and a fire fighting motorcycle helmet. A lot of these motorcycles have their own radio, cargo bays, lights and sirens.
(DFID) wider £50 million country programme (2009), they are putting in place among other things a new motorcycle ambulance service. The Magunga's Health Centre now operates a motorcycle (sidecar) ambulance service.
Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood
said:
health care facilities for women in labor or needing prenatal care. Lightweight off-road motorcycles
, equipped with a sidecar holding a stretcher for the patient, have been found to be an efficient supplement, but not replacement for, 4-wheel drive SUV ambulances. Purchase prices and operating costs have been found to be a fraction of a four-wheeled vehicle, and the sidecar rigs have been found to be less likely to be misused by diverting them for non-healthcare purposes. The lighter sidecar rigs are better able to cope with poor roads and areas that become impassible to heavier cars and trucks during the rainy season. Disadvantages include the reluctance of drivers to travel at night in some cases, and the inability to carry more than one patient at a time.
The report concluded that:
The UNICEF Annual Report 2009 concluded that:
Since the start of the UNICEF pilot study additional motorcycle ambulances have been delivered to the region using a Not On Our Watch Awards Grant to U.S. Fund for UNICEF with the aim of Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates in Southern Sudan.
has introduced a Suzuki V-Strom 650 in 2011. The crew consists of a motorcycle driver and a doctor. The three bags is the equipment for CPR, bandaging, anti-shock therapy, paramedic and other equipment.
St John Ambulance Wales have introduced three motorbikes after a successful trial. With a Honda Transalp
based in Newtown, a BMW R1200RT
based in the centre of Cardiff, along with a BMW F650
which covers the South Wales Area. The bikes will be used primarily as an initial response at road caces, cycle races and other major events where it would be difficult to move ambulances through crowds. The bikes have been used at the Cardiff Half Marathon, the 2010 Tour of Britain Cycle Race, the Ryder Cup.
, BMW
, and Yamaha
motorcycles are common models used in many countries and departments.
A number of manufacturers produce sidecars for motorcycles and scooters. Active motorcycle ambulance manufacturers include The Ranger Production Company, and Riders for Health
, a charity which manufactures the Uhuru in Zimbabwe.
by the British, French and Americans. At the time the advantages of light weight, speed, and mobility over larger vehicles was cited as the motive for the use of sidedcar rigs in this role. The US version had two stretchers arranged one on top of the other. The French ambulance used a sidecar that held a single patient, who could either lie down or sit up.
The British Red Cross Society used an 8 bhp NUT motorcycle
with a double decker sidecar like the US version. During testing it needed only a 9 ft (2.7 m) turning area, versus 35 ft (10.7 m) for a motor car ambulance, and had a lower fuel consumption of 55 miles per US gallon, compared with 12 miles per US gallon for car ambulances. Due to lighter weight they were said to be less likely to get stuck and could be pushed out more easily than a large vehicle.
Sidecar ambulances were used in Redondo Beach, California
in 1915, stationed at a bath house at a beach resort to reach drowning victims quickly. Prior to using the motorcycle, life guards had to run or row up to several miles along the beach to respond to calls. The Knightsbright Animal Hospital and Institute, London, was using a sidecar ambulance to transport dogs in 1912, and this mode was still in use in 1937 by the Maryland Humane Society
.
Emergency vehicle
An emergency vehicle is any vehicle that is designated and authorized to respond to an emergency. These vehicles are usually operated by designated agencies, often part of the government, but also run by charities, non-governmental organizations and some commercial companies...
which either carries a solo paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
or first responder
Certified first responder
A certified first responder is a person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. They have more skill than someone who is trained in basic first aid but they are not a substitute for advanced medical care rendered by emergency...
to a patient; or is used with a trailer
Motorcycle trailer
Motorcycle trailer is a term used to describe a trailer used either to carry motorcycles or to be pulled behind a motorcycle in order to carry additional gear.-For carrying motorcycles:...
or sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
for transporting patients. A motorcycle ambulance is able to respond to a medical emergency
Medical emergency
A medical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health. These emergencies may require assistance from another person, who should ideally be suitably qualified to do so, although some of these emergencies can be dealt with by the...
much faster than a car or van in heavy traffic,
which can increase survival rates for patients suffering cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
.
Brazil
Since 2000, the São PauloSão Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
Fire Department has operated Honda motorcycle ambulances in a first responder role, to offset the influence of traffic on the response times of traditional ambulances. The motorcycles carry a variety of emergency care equipment (including basic extrication, technical rescue
Technical rescue
Technical rescue refers to those aspects of saving life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed those normally reserved for fire fighting, medical emergency, and rescue. These disciplines include rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, confined space rescue, ski rescue, cave rescue,...
, and firefighting gear) and are always deployed in two-man teams, with the lead vehicle carrying a first aid kit and intravenous fluids and the rear vehicle carrying more advanced equipment, including an automated external defibrillator
Automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of...
, suction devices, and emergency delivery kits.
Fire departments in other states, such as Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states of Brazil.Neighboring Brazilian states are Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west. The economy of the state is largely based on agriculture and cattle-raising...
and Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, have also adopted motorcycle ambulances since 2008. In August 2008, SAMU
Samu
Samu may refer to:* Samu, nickname for a Homo erectus man found in Vértesszőlős, Hungary* SAMU - Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence, an emergency medical service in France.* Servicio de Atencion Medica Urgente, also an emergency medical service...
, the federal emergency medical services, purchased 400 motorcycle ambulances to be deployed nationwide between December 2008 and 2009.
Hong Kong
According to an article on page 173 of a book named "Rescue Mission" (ISBN 978-988-17174-6-7) which is written by an Emergency Medical Assistant of Hong Kong Fire Services Department, the H.K.F.S.D. established the first motorcycle programe in 1982. At first, there are only two motorcycles stationed in Morrison Hill Ambulance Depot. In 1986, the H.K.F.S.D. found that motorcycles are useful for responding medical calls, so they bought seven more motorcycles in 1987. In 1989, the motorcycle team had 15 motorcycles and stationed in several ambulance depots. Today, the H.K.F.S.D. has 35 motorcycles.Auxiliary Medical Service, another government-owned service, also has motorcycles.
Japan
In some areas of Japan. Japanese fire departments use off-road motorcycles as emergency vehicles. They are useful for negotiating the small streets and heavy traffic in the large urban areas of Japanese cities. Having off-road motorcycles helps in responding to the mountain hills that are around a lot of cities. Some departments would likely have their crews in teams of two or three motorcycles. One of the motorcycles carries a first aid kitFirst aid kit
A first aid kit is a collection of supplies and equipment for use in giving first aid, and can put together for the purpose , or purchased complete...
and/or automated external defibrillator. The other motorcycles in this team may carry fire fighting and rescue equipment. Most crews are firefighters with training in first responder
Certified first responder
A certified first responder is a person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. They have more skill than someone who is trained in basic first aid but they are not a substitute for advanced medical care rendered by emergency...
, 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...
, and/or paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
. Each crew member wears a light weight fire suit and a fire fighting motorcycle helmet. A lot of these motorcycles have their own radio, cargo bays, lights and sirens.
Kenya
As part of the United Kingdom's Department for International DevelopmentDepartment for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
(DFID) wider £50 million country programme (2009), they are putting in place among other things a new motorcycle ambulance service. The Magunga's Health Centre now operates a motorcycle (sidecar) ambulance service.
Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood
White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood
The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is a nonpartisan, non-profit and non-governmental membership organization that aims to decrease maternal and newborn death globally....
said:
Malawi
They have been used in remote rural areas in Malawi as a means to improve access to obstetricObstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
health care facilities for women in labor or needing prenatal care. Lightweight off-road motorcycles
Enduro motorcycle
An Enduro motorcycle is a motorcycle specially made for the Enduro sport, with the long travel and medium-hard suspension of a motocross bike conjoined with features such as a headlight and quiet muffler to make the bike street-legal for parts of the track...
, equipped with a sidecar holding a stretcher for the patient, have been found to be an efficient supplement, but not replacement for, 4-wheel drive SUV ambulances. Purchase prices and operating costs have been found to be a fraction of a four-wheeled vehicle, and the sidecar rigs have been found to be less likely to be misused by diverting them for non-healthcare purposes. The lighter sidecar rigs are better able to cope with poor roads and areas that become impassible to heavier cars and trucks during the rainy season. Disadvantages include the reluctance of drivers to travel at night in some cases, and the inability to carry more than one patient at a time.
The report concluded that:
Southern Sudan
In March 2009, through a partnership between UNICEF and the Government of Southern Sudan, a lifeline was extended to some pregnant women with the introduction of five motorcycle ambulances in the state of Eastern Equatoria.The UNICEF Annual Report 2009 concluded that:
Since the start of the UNICEF pilot study additional motorcycle ambulances have been delivered to the region using a Not On Our Watch Awards Grant to U.S. Fund for UNICEF with the aim of Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates in Southern Sudan.
Serbia
Emergency Medical Service in BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
has introduced a Suzuki V-Strom 650 in 2011. The crew consists of a motorcycle driver and a doctor. The three bags is the equipment for CPR, bandaging, anti-shock therapy, paramedic and other equipment.
United Kingdom
Motorcycles are used as rapid response vehicles by NHS emergency medical services and St John Ambulance in the United Kingdom.St John Ambulance Wales have introduced three motorbikes after a successful trial. With a Honda Transalp
Honda Transalp
The Honda Transalp is the name given to the XL600V, XL650V, and XL700V series of dual-sport motorcycles manufactured in Japan by Honda since 1987. The Transalp bikes all feature a liquid-cooled, four-stroke 52° V-twin engine.- History :...
based in Newtown, a BMW R1200RT
BMW r1200rt
The BMW R1200RT is a touring motorcycle that was introduced in 2005 by BMW Motorrad to replace the R1150RT model. It features a flat-twin engine with a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive.-Previous RT models, 1970s to 2004:...
based in the centre of Cardiff, along with a BMW F650
BMW F650 single
The BMW F650 is a family of single-cylinder motorcycles that was produced by BMW Motorrad beginning in 1993. Models include the F650ST Strada, F650 Funduro, F650GS, F650GS Dakar and latterly the G650GS...
which covers the South Wales Area. The bikes will be used primarily as an initial response at road caces, cycle races and other major events where it would be difficult to move ambulances through crowds. The bikes have been used at the Cardiff Half Marathon, the 2010 Tour of Britain Cycle Race, the Ryder Cup.
Manufacturers
HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, BMW
BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim....
, and Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
motorcycles are common models used in many countries and departments.
A number of manufacturers produce sidecars for motorcycles and scooters. Active motorcycle ambulance manufacturers include The Ranger Production Company, and Riders for Health
Riders for Health
Riders for Health is an international non-profit organisation that provides health-care to rural African villages using motorcycles and motorcycle ambulances. By providing healthcare door-to-door, the organisation is hoping to help fight the spread of AIDS...
, a charity which manufactures the Uhuru in Zimbabwe.
History
Motorcycle ambulances were used during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by the British, French and Americans. At the time the advantages of light weight, speed, and mobility over larger vehicles was cited as the motive for the use of sidedcar rigs in this role. The US version had two stretchers arranged one on top of the other. The French ambulance used a sidecar that held a single patient, who could either lie down or sit up.
The British Red Cross Society used an 8 bhp NUT motorcycle
NUT Motorcycles
NUT Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded in Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1912 by Hugh Mason and Jock Hall, who had previously been making motorcycles since 1906 under a badge based on Mason's initials, HM, and later under the name of Jesmond and Bercley...
with a double decker sidecar like the US version. During testing it needed only a 9 ft (2.7 m) turning area, versus 35 ft (10.7 m) for a motor car ambulance, and had a lower fuel consumption of 55 miles per US gallon, compared with 12 miles per US gallon for car ambulances. Due to lighter weight they were said to be less likely to get stuck and could be pushed out more easily than a large vehicle.
Sidecar ambulances were used in Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
in 1915, stationed at a bath house at a beach resort to reach drowning victims quickly. Prior to using the motorcycle, life guards had to run or row up to several miles along the beach to respond to calls. The Knightsbright Animal Hospital and Institute, London, was using a sidecar ambulance to transport dogs in 1912, and this mode was still in use in 1937 by the Maryland Humane Society
Humane Society
A humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
.