Virtual Museum EMS History

An ambulance is a vehicle for transporting sick or injured people,^[1] most commonly to, from or between places of treatment for an illness orinjury . Latterly, is has become associated with a vehicle used to bring medical care to patients outside of the hospital and when appropriate, to transport the patient to hospital for follow-up care and further testing. In some jurisdictions there is a modified form of the ambulance used, that only carries one member of ambulance crew to the scene to provide care, but is not used to transport the patient. In these cases a patient who requires transportation to hospital will require a patient carrying ambulance to attend in addition to the fast responder.

The term ambulance comes from the Latin word ambulare, meaning to walk or move about ^[2] which is a reference to early medical care where patients were moved by lifting or wheeling. The word is most commonly associated with the land-based, emergency motor vehicles that administeremergency care to those with acute illnesses or injuries, hereafter known as emergency ambulances. These are usually fitted with flashing warning lights and  sirens t o facilitate their movement through traffic. It is these emergency ambulances that are most likely to display theStar of Life ,^[3] shown on the right, which represents the six stages of prehospital medical care.

There are other types of ambulance. Probably the most common is the patient transport ambulance. These vehicles are not usually (although there are exceptions) equipped with life-support equipment, and are usually crewed by staff with fewer qualifications than the crew of  emergency ambulances. Their purpose is simply to transport patients to, from or between places of treatment. In most countries, these are not equipped with flashing lights or sirens.

Other vehicles used as ambulances include trucks, vans, station wagons,buses , helicopters , fixed-wing aircraft , boats , and even hospital ships. 

1. ^ Skinner, Henry Alan. 1949, "The Origin of Medical Terms". Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins
2. ^ How Products Are Made: Ambulance. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
3. ^ Origins of the Star of Life at Gorham EMS. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.

Last Revision Date: 6/25/07 - 2:04 PM