An emergency ambulance (NEF) is used in Germany to transport emergency physicians to their missions. It is usually a converted car, such as a station wagon or SUV, and in rare cases also a minibus. In this respect, the NEF has parallels with the command vehicle. The emergency physician either drives the vehicle himself or has a driver at his side. Ideally, the driver should be qualified as a paramedic or emergency paramedic and can also provide assistance at the scene.
The emergency ambulance differs from the emergency ambulance in that it does not have the option of transporting injured persons, whereas the emergency ambulance does.
The main advantage of an emergency ambulance is the independence of the emergency doctor from the paramedics. If the emergency doctor is no longer required to transport the patient, the emergency doctor can set off to the next location independently of the ambulance. The patient is then taken to the nearest hospital in the ambulance. If the emergency doctor accompanies the patient in the ambulance and there is a new call-out in the meantime, the doctor can decide whether to continue accompanying the patient or to leave. The latter requires the presence of a driver for the emergency ambulance. The requirements for staffing an emergency ambulance are regulated in the rescue service laws of the federal states.
A Bundeswehr ambulance and the Bundeswehr rescue service have similar requirements and tasks to civilian rescue services, but with additional military aspects. Bundeswehr ambulances are specially equipped for use in military contexts and must meet the special conditions and requirements in operational areas. The vehicles are often off-road capable and have robust equipment that functions reliably even under extreme conditions. The Bundeswehr's rescue service ensures that soldiers and military personnel receive fast and efficient medical care in emergencies, whether at home or on missions abroad.
Equipment of an emergency ambulance
An emergency ambulance is equipped in accordance with DIN standard 75079, which regulates the equipment and medication to be carried. The requirements for the vehicle technology in terms of load and performance data, such as acceleration or maximum load, are also regulated by DIN 75079.
According to the DIN standard, the medical and technical equipment in an emergency ambulance includes an ECG device together with a defibrillator unit and an external pacemaker, a ventilator, an electric suction pump and a pulse oximeter. The latter measures the pulse and oxygen saturation in the blood.
The available selection of medication is based on that of an ambulance. Narcotics are also available. These may only be accessed by emergency physicians with the appropriate qualifications. This also applies to the ambulances of the German Armed Forces, which are also equipped with special medication and anaesthetics in order to meet military requirements.
