AMBULANCE |
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An ambulance is a vehicle designated for the transport of sick or injured people. The first ambulances called by that name were horse ambulances used in the American Civil War. The first practical ambulances were created by Dominique Jean Larrey, a French surgeon (17661842), for use in the Napoleonic Wars. Modern-day ambulances are typically large automobiles on a van or light truck chassis.
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EMS - Emergency Medical Service |
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The Emergency Medical Service system (known by the acronym "EMS" in the USA and Canada) is responsible for providing pre-hospital (or out-of-hospital) care by paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMT's), and medical first responders (MFRs in US terminology). The goal of EMS is to provide early treatment to those in need of urgent medical care, and ultimately rapid transportation to an Emergency department. Stabilizing patients early (within the golden hour) significantly increases their chances of survival, particularly in the event of a heart attack, diabetic emergency, or severe physical trauma.
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HAZMET - HAZARDOUS MATERIALS |
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A hazardous material (HAZMAT) is any solid, liquid, or gas that can cause harm to humans, other living organisms, or the environment due to being radioactive, flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, a biohazard, an oxidizer, an asphyxiant, or capable of causing severe allergic reactions. The term hazardous material is used in this context almost exclusively in the United States. The equivalent term in the rest of the English-speaking world is Dangerous Goods.
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