Medical Equipment Commonly Used in Ambulances

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In order to manage life-threatening conditions and minimize further injury, there is a mandated list of what equipment must be on board every single ambulance. There are two types of ambulances: Basic Life Support (BLS), and Advanced Life Support (ALS). Both have a standard set of medical equipment, but the ALS ambulance must have a more robust set of equipment for pre-hospital care. The required list was most recently revised in 2005 to adapt to the needs of a broader range of patients, such as infants and children. Each ambulance must be equipped with the tools necessary for multiple types of emergencies, from respiratory assistance machines and defibrillators to items as simple as bandages and disinfectant solution. This article will list and discuss several of the larger pieces of medical equipment required for both a BLS and ALS ambulance.

1. Portable and fixed suction apparatus with a regulator: An important life saving device is the suction apparatus that is used to remove mucus and similar fluids from the airways. It is not a pretty process, but if something other than oxygen is entering your airways, a device such as the Schuco 130 Aspirator will save your life. This is a standard piece of equipment for both BLS and ALS ambulances.

2. Portable and fixed oxygen supply equipment capable of metered flow with adequate tubing. Breathing is obviously one of the vital aspects of life support and having metered oxygen equipment on board can save many lives. An oxygen supply device is required for BLS and ALS ambulances.

3. Pulse oximeter with pediatric and adult probes: A pulse oximeter is a useful medical device for measuring the oxygen saturation of a patient’s blood and changes in blood volume in the skin. A pulse oximeter such as the Nonin Avant 4000 wireless oximeter is important for pulse signal quality assessment, high and low SpO₂ and heart rate alarms. One of these devices must be in both types of ambulances.

4. Automated external defibrillator (AED) with pediatric and adult sized pads: Everyone has heard of an AED for a good reason, it can save lives by giving your heart a jump start. Defibrillation is the application of electrical therapy which should put a patient’s heart back into a healthy rhythm. AEDs are common in public places and are easy for laymen to use. CPR training courses often review the use of AEDs. Both BLS and ALS ambulances will have an AED on board. A good example of an AED is the Zoll M-Series Monophasic Defibrillator.

5. Portable, battery operated defibrillator: Portable defibrillators were invented around the 1960s and have been very important in assisting emergency personnel during pre-hospital care. When a defibrillator is needed, it is often a matter of minutes before the patient’s heart will not bounce back. A portable unit allows the medical team to bring help directly to the patient. A portable defibrillator is used in almost all ambulances around the world.

6. Sphygmomanometer: Also known simply as a “blood pressure meter,” this is a smaller piece of equipment needed on ambulances but still very important. Quickly being able to measure blood pressure will tell the medical personnel how well your heart is pumping blood the rest of your body. Every doctor on the planet should have a blood pressure meter, including all ambulances.

7. Transcutaneous cardiac pacemaker: Yet another tool to measure the effectiveness of your heart, a transcutaneous cardiac pacing device is a temporary means of pacing a patient’s heart during a medical emergency. Pulses of an electric current are delivered through the patient’s chest, which will help stimulate their heart. This is usually on all ALS ambulances and is sometimes optional.

8. Nebulizer: When it is important to administer medication as quickly as possible to a patient, a nebulizer is used to administer it in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. It is similar to how inhalers work for asthma patients and is very effective for immediate relief. A nebulizer is a required tool for ALS ambulances.

Immobilization equipment: This is more of a category than one specific device, but several types of immobilization is needed on all ambulances that often have patients who need to be secure to prevent further injuries. Cervical collars, a head stabilization device, upper and lower extremity immobilization devices, and impervious backboards are a few of the tools required to have on board BLS and ALS ambulances.