SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA HAS ADDED A NEW RESOURCE to its ambulance fleet starting with tonight’s New Year’s celebrations. ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corp.) tells of their plans:
Sydney paramedics will now be able to reach patients locked in by massive New Year’s Eve crowds thanks to a new, pint-sized ambulance. The latest addition to the NSW Ambulance Service, a micro car measuring a mere 250 centimetres (8 feet)in length, will be deployed for the first time on December 31 after a successful trial earlier this month.
Premier Kristina Keneally, who was on hand to announce the $18,000 Smart car ambulance, says it will enable paramedics to manoeuvre through large crowds unlike regular ambulance vehicles.
“The advantage of the Smart car is that it will allow our ambulance service to have a quicker response, particularly when it comes to large events,” she said. “We intend to use the Smart car in big events … we anticipate it will be in use every weekend.”
About 300 paramedics and 150 ambulance vehicles will be working in Sydney’s metropolitan area on New Year’s Eve, which is expected to draw 1.5 million people to Sydney Harbour.
The mini-ambulance contains all the essentials found in a regular ambulance, except for the cot, including oxygen resuscitation equipment, drug and first aid kits, and a defibrillator. It also has the advantage of protecting paramedics from the elements, unlike ambulance motorcycles.
ABC broadcast this news snippet:
Also on FireGeezer…
- Mercedes C300 vs. Smart-For-Two – January 2, 2010
- Is it Safe to be Smart? – January 2, 2010
