NEW PARADIGM FOR PROTECTION: THE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES IN THE TIME OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerging and highly infectious form of atypical pneumonia with a high rate of transmission, especially among health care workers. With SARS, certain policies had to be implemented rapidly by the emergency ambulance services and the Ministry of Health to support and protect all personnel adequately. The authors discuss the changes in policies and personnel behavior, the training and education that had to be disseminated widely, and certain alternatives in policies such as transportation. The authors hope to share their experience in the implementation of these strategies by the Singapore Civil Defence Force and stress the importance of the psychological preparedness of the paramedics and prehospital care providers worldwide in this era of SARS.

• severe acute respiratory syndrome
• paramedics
• emergency ambulance services
• personal protective equipment.