The fleet of the Vitebsk City Ambulance and Emergency Medical Care Station has been replenished with 15 new vehicles
And shortly before that, three Russian "Gazelles" were purchased, which replaced the old UAZ vehicles at substations in Surazh and Yanovichi of the Vitebsk region.
Such an update became possible thanks to funds allocated from the regional budget. Each vehicle is fully equipped for emergency care. A special pride is the new expert-class resuscitation vehicle. It is designed for transporting severely ill patients, victims of road traffic and other accidents, as well as for accompanying mass events. The "hospital on wheels" is equipped with a ventilator, defibrillator, and other equipment for saving patients of even infant age.
The new Fords have been handed over for use by intensive care teams. Nurse Elena Aleshkovskaya (pictured on the left) has already managed to appreciate the advantages of the new equipment. With twenty years of experience in ambulance services, she has had the opportunity to drive almost all types of vehicles, including the "buhankas".
– Of course, it is significantly more convenient to work in a modern vehicle, and it is also more comfortable for the patient. There is a special stretcher for the patient, a seat for the medic is provided near them, and the cabin height allows you to stand upright. All this provides additional convenience for unimpeded, rapid, and high-quality emergency care, – shares Elena Aleshkovskaya.
In her team are a young specialist, doctor Alexander Paderachev, and paramedic Anastasia Soldatenko. The young professionals were fortunate enough to work on good vehicles almost immediately.
– We no longer use UAZ vehicles in Vitebsk. Over time, we will also replace the eight "Gazelles" that have been in operation for about seven years. Currently, the station is equipped with everything necessary to provide assistance to residents of the regional center and its suburbs, including on-site emergency response, at the patient's bedside, and during transit, – says Viktor Gomonov.
GPS navigators have been additionally installed on all vehicles, allowing the dispatcher to monitor their movement and direct the nearest one to the patient's address, thereby reducing travel time and fuel costs.
New European-standard special vehicles are used in the regional center and its suburbs. However, considering the territorial principle of organizing emergency medical care, which the entire region adopted a couple of years ago, Vitebsk specialists respond to calls from the bordering Beshenkovichi, Liozno, Gorodok, and Senno districts. Longer-distance trips are also possible if a Vitebsk team is closer to the patient than a vehicle from the local central district hospital. Similar mutual assistance is established with colleagues from the Mogilev and Minsk regions.
The Vitebsk station handles an average of 350-400 calls per day, reaching up to five hundred during periods of increased illness. More than 30% of these are urgent and emergency calls. 34 teams work around the clock. The city station's fleet currently consists of 41 vehicles.
The annual mileage of each ambulance is 60-70 thousand km.
Intensive use, especially considering rural roads, significantly wears out the vehicles. Therefore, updating the ambulance fleet is always a relevant issue. With the help of the main department for healthcare of the regional executive committee and with the support of local authorities, these issues are being resolved. After all, the service operates in an emergency mode every day. When it comes to saving human lives, every minute, or even second, counts, and it is crucial that medical personnel have everything they need at their disposal.