Ambulance

Ambulance

Sirens sound, the ambulance is on the way!

Ambulances are transportation for sick or hurt people, and are often used as an emergency vehicle.
Most ambulances are specially modified and fitted out vans packed with medical equipment, and have prominent colours and designs on the exterior to gain maximum attention.
In an emergency, ambulances use loud sirens and coloured, flashing lights to warn people to get out of the way.
Ambulances can be in the form of a car, train, truck, van, bicycle, trailer, motorbike, cart, bus, helicopter, wing aircraft, boat, and hospital ships.
The word ‘ambulance’ comes from the Latin word ‘ambulare’, which means walk or move about.

The first ambulances were carts and used in 1487, by the Spanish.
There are normally two ambulance officers, paramedics, that travel in an ambulance. One drives the vehicle and the other attends to the sick person whilst in transit.
Ambulances are more likely to be involved in a car crash than fire trucks and police cars.
As well as containing equipment to treat patients, ambulances are also normally equipped with two-way radios, mobile data terminals, video cameras, tail lifts or ramps, trauma lighting, air conditioning and data recorders.
In an emergency, ambulances may be allowed to use a red traffic light or stop sign as a ‘give way’ sign and/or be allowed to break the speed limit.