Chilean Military Medics Tour Schertz EMS Big Ambulance

Four representatives from the Chilean military medical services were in Schertz to look at the city’s Ambulance Bus (AmBus) hosted by Schertz EMS.

Represented were physicians from the Chilean Army (2), Air Force (1) and Navy (1). They were guests of the Texas Military Forces to look at the civilian military interaction on disasters and medical services.

On their one-week trip to Texas they toured the joint Bexar County / San Antonio EOC (Emergency Operation Center), the Regional Medical Operations Center, SAMMC and other healthcare resources.

One feature they heard about was the AmBus in Schertz and they wanted to see it before returning home.

They arrived and were given a tour of the AmBus that can transport 20 sick and/or injured patients at a time. Equipped like an ambulance, all of the systems were reviewed, a “patient” was loaded and unloaded and many questions were answered.

According to EMS Director Dudley Wait, the bus – officially known as the Mass Casualty-Evacuation Ambulance – impressed the South American visitors who deal with emergency preparedness/response in their nation.
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The Chilean military medics said seeing how the bus can be used in an emergency helped them in planning for their largest threat – earthquakes.

EMS staff also answered questions regarding moving patients in areas of damaged or non-existent infrastructure such as roads and utilities.