History of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Response to Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) In Disasters, Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Assignment Help

Introduction

Disaster is the occurrence of a catastrophic event that is usually unforeseen and which causes major disruption to the normal conditions of existence, beyond the capacity of the community to respond and which requires special mobilization of resources and organizations. In disaster management, emergency medical services (EMS) have a strong role in the entire phases including preparedness, response, and recovery. Disasters may be classified as either naturally occurring for example, floods and earthquakes, or manmade disasters such as terrorism activities that lead to loss of lives and destruction of property. Both natural and manmade disasters are commonly associated with Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) many people are affected, thus necessitating the need for a quick response in order to minimize and contain their effect.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS), an essential public service, can be identified when the ambulances and the medical helicopters are reacting to diverse incidents in the capacity. Nevertheless, the EMS is an extensive area accompanied by the medical response and conveyance. Primarily, it is an element of the essential system of diverse agencies and organizations accompanied by the communication and conveyance network. Further, this system comprises the specialty care centers, therapy amenities, trained specialists, hospitals, nurses, psychoanalysts, government executives, and the officials. This system covers the informed public, nurses and the pre-hospital workers who are aware of the circumstances of medical emergency. The entire individuals encompassed in the EMS have a vital task to become the part of an organized care system. The structure of EMS is dissimilar in different areas and groups; nonetheless, the elements of EMS remain similar (Al-Aseri, 2017). The EMS offer critical medical care to different kinds of severe disasters. The team of EMS encompasses those individuals who are professional in providing the EMS, paramedics, ambulance staffs, and fire fighters. 

The evolution of the EMS system has been a slow process. In developed countries like United States, the development of EMS system enhanced swiftly between 1960 and 1973 due to several medical, historical, and social forces. 

MCIs are events that overwhelm the existing healthcare systems and personnel due to the high number of casualties that exceed the local capabilities and resources in a short time period.iii Therefore, MCIs need a well-organized approach including an effective strategy to dispatch medical personnel for treatment of casualties at the scene, evacuation and transport. Often the response to MCI incidents requires multi-agency cooperation, as by coming together, various agencies can pool resources and are therefore better placed to deal with the incident. However,