Dubai unveils longest ambulance in the world

[WAS967 97]

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/05/21/73440.html

Dubai unveils longest ambulance in the world The 59-foot hospital-on-wheels holds 44 people

The Dubai Ambulance Center intends to get the world's longest ambulance into the Guinness Book of World Records

DUBAI (Ahmed al-Sharif and Courtney C. Radsch)

Dubai already has the tallest office building, the tallest residential building and the biggest aquarium in the world and as of this week it can add the longest ambulance to its list of records.

The world's longest ambulance is 18 meters (59 feet) and can hold up to 44 patients at the same time, according to Khalifa bin Darri, head of the Dubai Ambulance Center (DAC).

The Dubai Ambulance Center said it intends to contact the Guinness Book of World Records to register the ambulance as the world's longest. Guinness could not be reached for confirmation, though rumors circulated in local internet forums about its immenent entry into the record book.

" The ambulance will be a mobile hospital that immediately goes to the accident scene and rescues a large number of the injured who will get treatment inside till they are transferred to the hospital " Khalifa bin Darri, Dubai Ambulance Center The blue-and white stretch-ambulance features a helicopter landing pad on its roof as well as internet and satellite facilities for the doctors. With state-of-the-art operating rooms, an intensive care unit, a radiography room and an integrated pharmacy, the ambulance is more like a mobile hospital.

"The ambulance will be a mobile hospital that immediately goes to the accident scene and rescues a large number of the injured who will get treatment inside till they are transferred to the hospital," said Darri.

The Emirati-designed ambulance is bigger than a bus and is expected to begin operations in three months, he added.

When asked about the reason for launching the world's longest ambulance, Darri said that the U.A.E. has recently witnessed a series of serious accidents, the most memorable of which was last year's crash on Abu Dhabi road involving more than 200 cars.

"It was necessary to have an ambulance that can take as many patients as possible and offer them immediate treatment. Thus, an Emirati team designed the ambulance and sent the design to a German company to manufacture it," he explained.

"This is a huge leap in the world of ambulance services. It is not just a traditional ambulance that transfers patients to the hospital, but it offers full medical services at the scene. The patient might not even need to go to the hospital at all," said Darri, adding that it was also more time- and cost-effective than sending several small ambulances.

[OoO 24]

This seems impractical to me. Transport would be delayed until the "ambulance" could be filled with 44 patients. This could take hours.

[dadbo46 50]

That appears to be a standard 60' (+ or -) articulated bus. Can't tell the manufacturer. I assume that it was converted to medical facilities on the interior.

I don't get the idea of a helicopter landing on the roof. Must be significantly reinforced with steel.

BTW - Nice comments by the public in the discussion board after the article.

[WAS967 97]

I think the picture is a deception. There is no way to get a practical Helo pad on the roof of a bus like that. I suspect the actual ambulance to be much bigger.

Plus i suspect this "ambulance" to be more of a "lets get to the MCI and treat patient on scene" kinda of setup rather than "filler up and get to the hospital" gig.

[medic25 0]

I'm a little unclear why you would need a landing pad on the roof when you live in a desert. If your whole country is flat sand, it seems like there would be no shortage of places to land......

[Bnechis 3,961]

I'm a little unclear why you would need a landing pad on the roof when you live in a desert. If your whole country is flat sand, it seems like there would be no shortage of places to land......

Land Shark

[Bnechis 3,961]

Land Shark

Candy gram

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I'm a little unclear why you would need a landing pad on the roof when you live in a desert. If your whole country is flat sand, it seems like there would be no shortage of places to land......

Dubai is both a city and an emirate. While Dubai is located in a desert, the vast, vast majority of its population lives in the city of Dubai. It is also, by far, the largest population center in the region. That being said, no there is not really anywhere, read desert, to land a helicopter but a pad on the back of the worlds largest ambulance is useless. Dubai is a city, if you cant land a helicopter most places in NYC then how can you do it in Dubai?

[NYMedic37 22]

Its basically a Bee Line bus. Westchester Medical Center should make up one of these busses and use it as a MERV like in NYC. Staff it with ER nurses & docs that would be subject to a page in MCI's. Use it to treat patients on scene.