Emergency Services
What are emergency services?
Emergency services refer to the group of personnel who respond to emergencies. The personnel that comprise emergency services include pre-hospital clinicians, such as emergency medical responders (EMRs), emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs (AEMTs), and paramedics. Beyond the medical field, emergency services can also include police officers, firefighters, and other rescue personnel.
Emergency services evaluate and manage patients with medical conditions and acute trauma outside the hospital. One of the major roles of emergency services is to respond to disasters and aid communities through recovery.
Emergency services do not operate independently, instead integrating with public safety, public health, and emergency management departments.
When emergency services are called to a scene, they are responsible for:
Why are emergency services important for healthcare?
Emergency services are the first on the scene when someone has a medical emergency or is in a traumatic event. The range of personnel helps to stabilize the patient and manage their condition while transporting them to the hospital.
Beyond emergencies, emergency services also provide a deeper understanding of healthcare crises affecting a community. As such, they are an essential contributor to emergency management and improving community healthcare.