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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
During the 1990's,
the Puerto Rico Emergency Medical System (EMS) began to experience
difficulties in providing quick and efficient service to victims
of traumatic injury. Indeed, the average response time for emergency
care was more than 35 minutes in areas of heavy traffic congestion
such as the City of San Juan. The EMS identified the problem
as two-fold:
- Lack of resources including
ambulances, emergency medical technicians and an efficient 911
emergency response system
- Administration of the
system
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Rapid
Response Program is to improve access to emergency services care
throughout the Commonwealth, particularly for persons injured
in roadway crashes. Program objectives include:
- Development of an emergency
response system to reach and stabilize victims within 10 minutes
- Purchase of proper
equipment that would support achievement of a 10-minute response
time
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Rapid Response
Program was developed by the Puerto Rico Emergency Medical System
during the last months of 1997, and implemented in February 1998,
under the leadership of new EMS and 911 Directors. The new administration
assessed the existing emergency response system and determined
that in order to improve response times and deliver better services,
equipment would need to be purchased that would be appropriate
to the unique geography of Puerto Rico and the heavy traffic
congestion which distinguished parts of the metropolitan area.
Through funds provided by the Commonwealth, the EMS purchased
10 four-wheel drive vehicles, 10 motorcycles, and 38 bicycles.
The motorcycles and bicycles, which could easily maneuver the
narrow, mountainous roads and traffic-congested streets in some
areas of Puerto Rico, were equipped with emergency response equipment
contained within saddlebags strapped to the cycles. The new vehicles
have been used most frequently to reach and stabilize an injury
victim while awaiting the arrival of the larger ambulances. In
some instances, the treatment received by the Rapid Response
emergency medical technicians has been sufficient to cancel the
need for an ambulance.
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