Does every small town have a communication base station EMS

Do Rural EMS stations have more down time?

Conversely, a rural EMS station may have a lot more down time with far fewer calls. Shifts vary greatly across the country, but common models follow 9, 12, or 24-hour (or longer) shifts. The 24-hour shifts are very common in rural areas where it wouldn’t make sense to change staff frequently.

Why do EMS providers travel so far?

Due to the nature of rural areas, EMS providers may need to travel farther or navigate difficult terrain when responding to a call or transporting a patient to the hospital. Adverse weather conditions, when combined with longer distances and geographical obstacles, can significantly affect response or transport times.

What frequency does EMS radio communication take place in?

EMS radio communication takes place in the VHF low band, VHF high band, and UHF band. VHF low band is the radio frequencies from 32-50 megahertz (MHz). They are able to follow the shape of the earth allowing communication over long distances. These frequencies are more susceptible to interference from, weather, buildings, and electrical equipment.

Why is communication important in EMS?

Communication in EMS is essential. Patients must be able to access the system, the system must be able to dispatch units, EMTs must have a means of communicating with medical direction and receiving facility, and EMTs must be able to communicate vital information to other personnel.

Why does rural EMS cost more than urban EMS?

Rural EMS providers often travel longer distances per run due to the larger service areas and lower population density in rural areas. This results in higher average costs per trip for agencies as compared with their urban counterparts.

How does EMS rebroadcast a radio signal?

Some rebroadcast by converting signals to radio and others do so by converting to microwaves. It may also convert the signal to a telephone signal and send the communications through public or dedicated telephone lines. EMS radio communication takes place in the VHF low band, VHF high band, and UHF band.