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A motorcycle ambulance is a type of emergency response vehicle which carries either a solo
paramedic A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), ...
,
emergency medical technician An emergency medical technician (often, more simply, EMT) is a medical professional that provides emergency medical services. EMTs are most commonly found serving on ambulances and in fire departments in the US and Canada, as full-time and som ...
, or
first responder A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency. First responders typically include Law enforcement, law enforcement officers (co ...
to a patient; or may also be used with a trailer or
sidecar A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, Scooter (motorcycle), scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. The combination of a motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''rig'', ''outfit' ...
for transporting patients. Because of its small size and agile performance, a motorcycle
ambulance An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...
is able to respond to a
medical emergency A medical emergency is an acute injury or illness that poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long-term health, sometimes referred to as a situation risking "life or limb". These emergencies may require assistance from another, qualified ...
much faster than a car or conventional ambulance vehicle in heavy traffic, which can increase survival rates for critically ill patients, especially those in
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...
.


History

Motorcycle ambulances were used during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
by the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
, French, and Americans. At the time, the advantages of light weight, speed, and mobility over larger vehicles was cited as the motive for the use of motorcycles with sidecar in this role. The US version had two stretchers arranged one on top of the other. The French ambulance used a sidecar that held a single patient, who could either lie down or sit up. The
British Red Cross Society The British Red Cross Society () is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with 1 ...
used an NUT motorcycle with a double-deck sidecar similar to the US version. During testing, it needed only a turning area, versus for a motor car ambulance, and had a lower fuel consumption of , compared with for car ambulances. Due to lighter weight, they were said to be less likely to get stuck, and could be pushed out more easily than a large vehicle. Sidecar ambulances were used in
Redondo Beach, California Redondo Beach (Spanish for ) is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located in the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the Greater Los Angeles area. It is one of three adjacent Beach Cities, beach c ...
in 1915, stationed at a bath house at a beach resort to reach drowning victims quickly. Prior to using the motorcycle,
lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...
s had to run or row up to several miles along the beach to respond to calls. The
Knightsbridge Animal Hospital and Institute Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End. Knightsbridge is also the name of th ...
, London, was using a sidecar ambulance to transport dogs in 1912; this mode was still in use in 1937 by the Maryland Humane Society. The International Fire & EMS Motorcycle Response Unit Association (IMRUA) was founded in 2009 in Hungary with the goal of improving already existing MRU's and also promoting the use of MRU's internationally.


Worldwide motorcycle ambulances


Australia


New South Wales

In
1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
, the
Ambulance Service of New South Wales NSW Ambulance, previously the Ambulance Service of NSW, is an agency of NSW Health and the statutory provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Established pursuant to the and ...
was the first ambulance service in Australia to introduce Motorcycle Rapid Response Team, crewed with an intensive care or mobile intensive care ambulance paramedic. Two BMW K100RT motorcycles were borrowed from the
New South Wales Police Force The New South Wales Police Force is a law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia, established in 1862. With more than 17,000 police officers, it is the largest police organisation in Australia, policing an area of 801,60 ...
Highway Patrol A highway patrol is a police unit, detail, or law enforcement agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways within a jurisdiction. They are also referred to in many countri ...
, with riders undertaking the police motorcycle course. At present there are two motorcycle rapid response crews covering the Sydney CBD at any one time utilising Yamaha FJR1300 motorcycles. With
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
's narrow streets, the
Sydney Harbour Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North ...
, numerous parklands, and areas difficult to access in a conventional ambulance the 'rapid responder' motorcycles are able to arrive on scene and begin critical treatment of patients several minutes before the arrival of a conventional ambulance whilst still carrying most of the essential equipment of a full-size ambulance. It takes an average six minutes for a motorcycle rapid response paramedic to reach an emergency situation in the CBD, compared to twelve minutes for ambulances proving an invaluable resource. At present, there are two motorcycle rapid response crews covering the Sydney CBD at any one time.


South Australia

In South Australia, there are paramedics who ride on a cycle or motorcycle; they complement the regular ambulances and are used in areas which might have less space to accommodate a bigger vehicle.


Victoria

In 2012,
Ambulance Victoria Ambulance Victoria (AV), a Victorian agency of the Department of Health, is the statutory provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in Victoria. Ambulance Victoria was formed on 1 July 2008 with the merger of the Metrop ...
introduced the Motorcycle Paramedic Unit, equipped with six motorcycle paramedics for rapid response to emergencies. Different types of motorcycles have been trialed, including the initial roll out of Piaggio 500cc, which has now been replaced with the BMW F700GS. The unit operates during peak traffic and during major events and festivals, within Melbourne's inner metro area.


Brazil

Since
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, the
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
Fire Department has operated Honda motorcycle ambulances (, known as 'MOBs') in a first responder role, to offset the influence of traffic on the response times of traditional ambulances. The motorcycles carry a variety of emergency care equipment (including basic
extrication Vehicle extrication is the process of removing a patient from a vehicle which has been involved in a motor vehicle collision. Patients who have not already exited a crashed vehicle may be medically (cannot exit a vehicle due to their injuries) or ...
,
technical rescue Technical rescue is the use of specialised tools and skills for rescue, including but not limited to confined space rescue, rope rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue, ice rescue, swift water rescue, underwater rescue, and cave rescue. ...
, and firefighting gear), and are always deployed in two-man teams, with the lead vehicle carrying a first aid kit and intravenous fluids and the rear vehicle carrying more advanced equipment, including an
automated external defibrillator An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac Heart arrhythmia, arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able ...
, suction devices, and emergency delivery kits. Fire departments in other states, such as
Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...
,
Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul ( ) is one of Federative units of Brazil, Brazil's 27 federal units, located in the southern part of the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West Region, bordering five Brazilian states: Mato Grosso (to the north), Goiás and ...
, and
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
, have also adopted motorcycle ambulances since 2008. In August 2008, SAMU, the federal emergency medical services, purchased 400 motorcycle ambulances to be deployed nationwide between December 2008 and 2009.


Germany

The Bavarian Red Cross has operated motorcycle ambulances since
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
. , they report a fleet of 25 motorcycles and 100 volunteer paramedics. The Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe (St. John Ambulance Service, Germany) has over 115 motorcycles throughout Germany, staffed by volunteers. The following motorcycle types are used:
BMW R1100RT The BMW R1100RT is a BMW touring motorcycle with a horizontally-opposed twin-cylinder boxer engine. It was built from 1996 to 2001 in the BMW Berlin plant in Spandau, together with several sister models of similar design, including the BMW R1100R ...
, BMW R1150RT,
BMW R1200RT The BMW R1200RT is a touring or sport touring motorcycle that was manufactured from 2005 to 2019 by BMW Motorrad to replace the R1150RT model. It features a flat-twin engine with a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive. History Previous RT models, ...
, BMW R1250RT, BMW R1150GS, BMW R1200GS, BMW F650GS, BMW F750GS, BMW F850GS, along with others from Honda, Suzuki, KTM. Some of the motorcycles are bought at the factory, or they are taken over by the military police or civilian police. Only a few are expanded themselves. The motorcycle units are used as: Civil Protection: (detector, pilot, security vehicle for columns of operational units); medical service at major events, such as cycling races, running events, city festivals, church conventions, BMW Marathon Berlin; First Responder; Jam aid; public relations.


Ghana

The Okoa Project began operating and manufacturing tricycle motorcycle ambulances in
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
in February
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, when they established their second international post in Tumu, Sissala East District. The Okoa Project is a non-profit dedicated to providing critical, life saving emergency transport to maternity patients, as well as all those ill or injured in need of essential health services. In April 2020, The Okoa Project began its response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, using their motorcycle ambulances to distribute hand washing stations, soap, and
personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elect ...
(PPE) to rural communities in the Sissala East District in Northern Ghana.


Hong Kong

According to the book ''Rescue Mission'' which is written by an Emergency Medical Assistant of
Hong Kong Fire Services Department The Hong Kong Fire Services Department is an emergency service responsible for firefighting and rescue on land and sea. It also provides an emergency ambulance service for the sick and the injured and gives fire protection advice to the pub ...
, the HKFSD established the first motorcycle programme in 1982. At first, there are only two motorcycles stationed in Morrison Hill Ambulance Depot. In 1986, the HKFSD found that motorcycles are useful for responding to medical calls, so they bought seven more motorcycles in 1987. In 1989, the motorcycle team had 15 motorcycles and stationed in several ambulance depots. Today, the HKFSD has 35 motorcycles.
Auxiliary Medical Service Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) is a voluntary medical and health services provider in Hong Kong. Its mission is to supply effectively and efficiently regular services to maintain the health and well-being of people in Hong Kong. History The ...
, another government-owned service, also has motorcycles.


India

Motorcycle ambulance launched in
Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri (), is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district as well as of the Jalpaiguri division of West Bengal, covering the jurisdiction of the five districts of North Bengal. The city is ...
,
West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...
, India, during 1998 by social worker Karimul Haque, who received the
Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
award in 2017. Ambulances on a motorcycle platform have also been launched in multiple other states of India, such as
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (; ) is a landlocked States and union territories of India, state in Central India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the List ...
,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, and
Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...
. These ambulances have provided emergency health services from ferrying pregnant women to a primary health centre to attending to first aid in case of accidents.


Israel

Israel makes extensive use of "ambucycles". They are particularly associated with the volunteer
United Hatzalah United Hatzalah ("united rescue" in Hebrew: איחוד הצלה) is an Israeli volunteer-based emergency medical services (EMS) organization providing free service throughout Israel, with its headquarters based in Jerusalem. Its mission is to pro ...
, but are also used by
Magen David Adom The Magen David Adom (, abbr. MDA, pronounced ''MAH-dah'' per its Hebrew acronym, ) is Israel's national emergency medicine, emergency medical, Emergency management, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The literal meaning of the name is ...
, the national EMS service, which employs a mix of professionals and volunteers.


Japan

In some areas of
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, Japanese fire departments use off-road motorcycles as emergency vehicles. They are useful for negotiating the small streets and heavy traffic in the large urban areas of Japanese cities. Having off-road motorcycles helps in responding to the mountain hills that are around a lot of cities. Some departments would likely have their crews in teams of two or three motorcycles. One of the motorcycles carries a
first aid kit A first aid kit or medical kit is a collection of supplies and equipment used to give First aid, immediate medical treatment, primarily to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions. There is a wide variation in the contents o ...
and / or automated external defibrillator. The other motorcycles in this team may carry fire fighting and rescue equipment. Most crews are firefighters with training in
first responder A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency. First responders typically include Law enforcement, law enforcement officers (co ...
,
first aid First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with a medical emergency, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery until medical services arrive. First aid is gener ...
, and / or
paramedic A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), ...
. Each crew member wears a lightweight fire suit and a fire fighting motorcycle helmet. Many of these motorcycles have their own radio, cargo bays, lights, and sirens.


Kenya

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
launched its first Paramedic Rider in May 2015 during the Mater Heart Run. This was done by Avenue Rescue Services Ltd, a member of the Avenue Group of Healthcare Providers. Avenue Rescue Services launched two motorcycles manned by four riders. The motorcycles are used as first responder during the busy traffic hours, and also for event coverage. The Standard Chattered International Marathon was the second major event to be covered by the ParaRiders. The motorcycles are equipped to handle most medical and surgical emergencies. As part of the United Kingdom's
Department for International Development The Department for International Development (DFID) was a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom, from 1997 to 2020. It was responsible for administering foreign aid ...
(DFID) wider £50 million country programme (2009), they are putting in place among other things a new motorcycle ambulance service. The Magunga's Health Centre now operates a motorcycle (sidecar) ambulance service. Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the
White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood The White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) is an international non-profit organization that advocates for maternal health. The alliance focuses on ending maternal mortality and improving the health of mothers and newborns. The nonpartisan, non-governmental m ...
said:


Malawi

Motorcycle ambulances have been used in remote rural areas in
Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
as a means to improve access to
obstetric Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgic ...
health care facilities for women in labour or needing prenatal care. Lightweight
off-road motorcycles Off-roading is the act of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, dirt, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, or other natural terrain. Off-roading ranges from casual drives with regular vehicles to competitive events w ...
, equipped with a sidecar holding a stretcher for the patient, have been found to be an efficient supplement, but not replacement for, four-wheel drive SUV ambulances. Purchase prices and operating costs have been found to be a fraction of a four-wheeled vehicle, and the sidecar combinations have been found to be less likely to be misused by diverting them for non-healthcare purposes. The lighter sidecar combinations are better able to cope with poor roads and areas that become impassable to heavier cars and trucks during the rainy season. Disadvantages include the reluctance of drivers to travel at night in some cases, and the inability to carry more than one patient at a time. The report concluded that:


Poland

In some cities of
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, emergency units use motorcycles as emergency vehicles. They are useful as they are faster than car / truck in heavy traffic in the city centres. The motorcycles carry usually one or two persons, a
first aid kit A first aid kit or medical kit is a collection of supplies and equipment used to give First aid, immediate medical treatment, primarily to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions. There is a wide variation in the contents o ...
, and automated external defibrillator. The motorcycles are equipped with radio, cargo bags, lights, and sirens. One of the most active non-profit organisations, using motorcycles as ambulance in capital of Poland, is motorcycling foundation called Fundacja Jednym Śladem. Members of the foundation are first responders, and all of them support Official Polish Rescue System.


Portugal

Since July 2004, the National Institute of Medical Emergencies ( INEM) have included motorcycle ambulances in their services. These fast ambulances are operational within the entire country.


Serbia

The Emergency Medical Service in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
introduced a Suzuki V-Strom 650 in 2011, with the crew consisting of a motorcyclist and a doctor. Panniers and a top-box contain equipment for
CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest that involves chest compressions, often combined with artificial ventilation, to preserve brain function and maintain circulation until sp ...
, bandaging, anti-shock therapy, paramedic, and other equipment.


South Africa

The South African National Roads Agency through ER24 EMS operates Motorcycle Medical Response Units, these units use a Suzuki V-Strom 650 staffed and equipped at an Intermediate Life Support level to respond on the E-Toll freeway and stabilise patients whilst conventional ambulances make their way through traffic.


Southern Sudan

In March 2009, through a partnership between
UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
and the Government of Southern Sudan, a lifeline was extended to some pregnant women with the introduction of five motorcycle ambulances in the state of
Eastern Equatoria Eastern Equatoria is a state in South Sudan. It has an area of 73,472 km2. The capital city is Torit. On October 1, 1972, the state was divided into Imatong and Namorunyang states and was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 F ...
. The UNICEF Annual Report 2009 concluded that: Since the start of the UNICEF pilot study, additional motorcycle ambulances have been delivered to the region using a Not On Our Watch Awards grant to U.S. fund for UNICEF with the aim of reducing maternal mortality rates in Southern Sudan.


Tanzania

The Okoa Project
began manufacturing motorcycle ambulance trailers in
Mbeya Mbeya is a city located in south west Tanzania, Africa, with an urban population of 649,000 in 2023. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya Region, Mbeya region (population, with Mbeya, totals approx. 2 million). Mbeya is situated a ...
, Tanzania in 2018, when they launched their first international post with partner The Olive Branch for Children. The Okoa Project is a non-profit dedicated to providing critical, life saving emergency transport to maternity patients, as well as all those ill or injured in need of essential health services. They worked side by side with Mbeya communities to establish an emergency response system to dispatch the ambulances quickly.


Uganda

In the
Mbale Mbale is a city in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region. Location Mbale is approximately northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital city, on ...
town and district in
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
, the Partnerships Overseas Networking Trust (PONT), initiated the deployment of motorcycle ambulances in December 2010. The motorcycle ambulance work started with 5 eRanger motorbike ambulances. These vehicles are in use 24/7 and are providing life saving emergency transport to maternity emergencies and to the ill and injured. 32 eRanger motorbike ambulances which, were funded in part by Rotary Clubs, have now been deployed in Mbale. In March 2014, Pulse Village Transport in Kampala began manufacturing and distributing their product, the Village Ambulance, throughout Uganda. Their Village Ambulance is a custom-built trailer that can easily attach to virtually any motorcycle or bicycle and is designed for rough terrain and the hard to reach places. It was created to meet the medical transportation needs of rural communities and refugee settlements, with a primary focus on maternal / child health. As of November 2014, they had distributed Village Ambulances to communities in over 25 districts of Uganda.


United Kingdom

Motorcycles are used as rapid response vehicles by NHS emergency medical services, and MCP Medical in the United Kingdom. St John Ambulance England ran a motorcycle response team out of then Prince of Wales London District until the early 2010s due to costs of an ageing fleet of motorcycles, cost of replacement fleet, and the economical return of the service led to the service being withdrawn.


United States

Daytona Beach Daytona Beach is a coastal resort city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. Located on the East Coast of the United States, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropo ...
Fire Rescue in Florida has been using pairs of motorcycles since 1994 to help with response times during heavy congestion surrounding major events in the Daytona Beach area. They currently operate two Harley Davidson FLHPI Road King motorcycles.
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous coun ...
, also in Florida used motorcycles for faster response times after a 2004 pilot programme. They had significant success, but the programme was cut in 2008 due to budget problems. The programme is credited with cutting response times in half. Austin-Travis County EMS of
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
is using a fleet of four BMW G650 X-Ps to supplement the standard ambulance response. , the motorcycles were deployed only for special events and times of unusually high traffic congestion, but the county planned to make them a regular system resource. MSET (Motorcycle Special Events Team of Texas) is a Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) registered First Responder Organization (FRO), and is composed of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians and FCC licensed Amateur Radio Operators on motorcycles. MSET is active in and outside the Austin community, supporting both mobile and stand-by events, such as bicycle races and festivals.


Zambia

In 2009, a social enterprise called Zambikes designed one of the first models of the ambulance trailer called the 'Zambulance'. The Zambulance is a locally built ambulance trailer that can be pulled behind any bicycle or motorcycle. Zambikes' vision for the Zambulance is to connect rural African villages to critical medical treatment. Since 2009, they have distributed units throughout Zambia and also exported to Malawi.


Manufacturers

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...
,
BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...
, and Yamaha motorcycles are common models used in many countries and departments. A number of manufacturers produce
sidecars A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. The combination of a motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''rig'', ''outfit'', or ''hack''. Hist ...
for motorcycles and scooters. Active motorcycle ambulance manufacturers include The Okoa Project, a non-profit focused on improving rural maternal health that manufactures motorcycle ambulances in Ghana and Tanzania, The Ranger Production Company, and
Riders for Health Riders for Health is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that specialises in supplying, managing and maintaining vehicles for health-focused organisations in African countries. Motorcycles are well-suited for delivering health care in Africa, ...
, a charity which manufactures the Uhuru in Zimbabwe, and Zambikes in Zambia, and Pulse, a social enterprise which manufactures the Village Ambulance in Uganda.


See also

*
Nontransporting EMS vehicle A nontransporting EMS vehicle is a vehicle that responds to and provides emergency medical services (EMS) without the ability to transport patients. For patients whose condition requires transport (e.g. to a hospital), an ambulance is necessary. ...
*
Blood bike A blood bike is a specialist motorcycle modified for use as a courier vehicle for the prompt transportation of urgent and emergency medical items; primarily including blood, and also including X-rays, tissue samples, surgical tools, human milk ...
*
Fire motorcycle A fire motorcycle is a specialist motorcycle modified for use by a fire brigade or fire department. Several countries around the world use fire vehicles based on a motorcycle, often for rapid intervention to beat traffic congestion. The equi ...
*
Police motorcycle A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by police and law enforcement. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. Units that use motorcycles are often called motorcycle units or motor units, and police offi ...
* Cycle responder


References


External links

*
A day in pictures: Melbourne's motorcycle paramedics
''Gizmag'' {{Authority control
Ambulance An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...
Ambulances