Many people have misconceptions about ambulances. Some think that once you call 911 to report an emergency, an ambulance will immediately pop out of nowhere to take care of the injured individual. Others think that these vehicles are only for transporting the injured to the nearest hospital.
But, if you’ve just recently purchased emergency vehicle equipment from Wichita. KS, you know that these vehicles are packed with state-of-the-art machines that can save lives. Also, ambulances aren’t magical vehicles that pop out of nowhere. To help other people separate myth from reality, here are the most common misconceptions about ambulances.
Misconception #1: Lights and sirens are mandatory.
When an ambulance goes out to respond to a 911 call, it won’t always turn on its light and siren. The paramedics in charge of the ambulance will decide to use the siren after they’ve assessed the severity of the condition of the injured person.
The Emergency Medical Dispatch will relay the information they get from the person who called 911 to the paramedics. If the EMD says that the threat level is low, the paramedics on the ambulance won’t use their siren and light so as not to disturb the traffic.
Misconception #2: Once you call 911, an ambulance will appear instantly.
The world will be a much better place if ambulances could pop out in an instant whenever someone gets injured. But the truth is that it isn’t feasible. Sometimes, it can even take a while before an ambulance arrives at the scene.
One of the reasons ambulances sometimes can’t reach the injured party immediately is that just like all the other motorists, paramedics have to observe the speed limit, as well. Some would think, “What’s the point of having a siren and light if an ambulance won’t go beyond the speed limit?”
The reason behind this is that some motorists still don’t give way when an ambulance is trying to get out of traffic, which could lead to another accident. So, paramedics try to safely maneuver in traffic so that they’ll be able to reach the injured person in one piece.
Misconception #3: It’s always a mad dash to the hospital.
When paramedics arrive, it’s not always a scene wherein they’re going to scoop up the person onto a stretcher, sprint towards the ambulance, and drive like a bat out of hell towards the nearest hospital. Sometimes, they take their time and assess the situation of the patient first before departing for the hospital.
They need to see if the patient is stable enough to survive the ride to the hospital. If he needs medical attention right away, paramedics will have to help him where he’s at first before they move him. So, if paramedics arrive at your location and they seem to be taking their time with the injured person, rest assured that they’re already taking care of the patient and not idling by.
Think of ambulances as mobile emergency rooms. The paramedics in these vehicles are trained to save lives. If anyone you know is injured and is on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, take solace in the fact that the paramedics are doing everything they can to save that person’s life.
