Ambulance or rescue vehicle?

As well as providing medical flights and medical repatriations from abroad, we also offer patient transport on the ground. We can, for instance, take patients from the clinic to the airport or collect them from the airport after an air ambulance flight and drive them home. We deploy ambulances and rescue vehicles depending on the medical condition of each patient. So what's the difference between these two forms of transport? Let's look at the main differences between an ambulance and a rescue vehicle :

Ambulance or rescue vehicle?

Specifications of ground ambulances

Ambulances or patient transport vehicles (NEPTs) are generally used for transporting patients who do not require acute intensive medical care; i.e. where no life-threatening medical condition exists. A patient transported in an NEPT vehicle is usually accompanied by a paramedic and a qualified ambulance driver.

We should also mention that the patient can be transported either sitting up or lying down, depending on his/her medical condition. To provide for this, an NEPT vehicle is generally equipped with a special seat, a vacuum mattress and a scoop stretcher. It goes without saying that inside the ambulance or NEPT you will find adequately equipped technical-medical apparatus to ensure that patients arrive at their destination safely. This includes ventilation equipment and oxygen, a defibrillator, bandages and an emergency kit.

What are rescue vehicles?

A rescue vehicle or emergency ambulance is accompanied by at least one qualified paramedic and is equipped with more medical equipment than the ambulance. For this reason, we deploy rescue vehicles to transport patients who have suffered a stroke or a heart attack or who have been involved in a serious accident. The equipment in a rescue vehicle includes comprehensive intensive care apparatus, larger tanks of oxygen and a wider range of emergency medication, making them suitable for both emergency rescue and the planned transportation of seriously ill patients.

If the condition of a patient requires a doctor's presence and/or even more intensive care equipment, the vehicle employed is often designated as an intensive care vehicle.

Note: If you require urgent and immediate transportation or emergency services in the case of road accident, a collision or another incident that necessitates immediate transport to the hospital, please contact the emergency number of your area. 

ground ambulance interiorWhen this distinction is made, it is important to note country-specific differences: The equipment in the patient transport vehicle may differ from that described, particularly in another country. We are happy to note your preferences when planning an air ambulance flight and will if you wish, employ a "higher" grade of transport, even if this is not necessary.

Our emergency vehicles and ambulance service are appropriate to cover moderate distances by road, which means that there are certain limitations. For instance, our vehicles might not be suitable to transport patients over long distances because of the amount of time and the physical strain on the patient. Moreover, in the case of transport via our ground ambulance service, we are dependent on situations beyond our control such as another road accident or a traffic jam. 

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Our team members are available 24/7 to provide advice. We can arrange quick medical repatriation and evacuation worldwide.

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