Transportation: Alternative Ambulances

Bicycle Ambulances

Mountain bikes and e-bikes are a great way to transport people who need medical attention. Bicycles retrofitted as ambulances are an affordable and effective way to reach people and animals in areas inaccessible to trucks and ambulances.

The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) includes bicycle ambulances in its disaster preparedness plans. Another example is the use by Uganda's medical facilities of bike ambulances to transport patients who would otherwise have to walk to the hospital for care. 

Considerations 

One consideration regarding bicycle ambulances is cost. An e-bike and a trailer can run around $5,000. However, if you have a volunteer team of bikers who already have their own bikes, the only cost to you might be retrofitting for ambulance work.You might be able to cover this cost through fundraising and grants, and some volunteers will already have trailers for their bicycles that they use in their daily lives. 

In addition, some cyclists are strong enough to carry another person on non-electric bicycles.

Another consideration for e-bikes is power. You have to be able to recharge the batteries, such as with solar-powered generators.

Still another consideration is training. You will want operators of bike ambulances to have some first aid training and preferably Wilderness First Response training.

Consider also that the weight these bikes can handle is limited to about 300 pounds.

Finally, you will want to equip each bicycle ambulance with a portable first aid kit.

Making a Bicycle Ambulance

The ambulance prototype used by PBEM consisted of a Tern GSD electric cargo bike (ranging from $3000 to $10,000, depending on features) with a Bill bike trailer. PBEM modified the trailer by attaching a sheet of plywood to it and bolting a reclining lawn chair to the plywood. The goals are to make it as light and affordable as possible.

Snowmobile Ambulances

These ambulances are usually known as snow rescue sleds and consist of fully enclosed capsules on skis. Alternatively, you can use a rescue toboggan. These run about $1800. Snow rescue sleds are much more expensive. 

A much less expensive way to go across snow is to pull an injured person wrapped securely in a guide tarp. Or you can make a rescue sled out of skis, broken-down ski poles, straps, and a backpack. 

People Power

In some emergencies the only viable transportation is people power. Teams of people can successfully carry injured people and supplies with litters or even blankets or plastic traps. Be sure to practice this element of transportation with your Runners Team. This practice will help you refine your gear and methodology. Litters range in cost from about $500 to $2500.