11 people attended our February meeting, where the subject was Ambulances, past, present, and future.

We learnt a little about their history, but it was not until the American Civil War and the Crimean Wars that saving the lives of injured soldiers and transporting them to field hospitals developed. In those days ambulances were only deployed when the fighting had ceased. London saw ambulances being used to transport cholera patients to isolation hospitals in 1832. At that time the Times Newspaper reported "The curative process commences the instant the patient is put into the carriage; time is saved which can be given to the care of the patient; the patient may be driven to the hospital so speedily that the hospitals may be less numerous and located at greater distances from each other”. If only this could be said to be true today!!

Ambulances for civilian service started to be used, but it was not until the late 19th Century, early 20th Century, that motorised ambulances became established and offered speed and comfort to the patient. In the UK a National Ambulance service was established but it was run by the firefighters and police to transport patients to hospital. In 1925 it was mandatory for firefighters and police to receive first aid training.

In 1948 the advent of the National Health Service required local authorities to provide ambulances “where necessary” and these were initially staffed by volunteers with professions being gradually introduced. In 1964 The Millar Report recommended that ambulances should be provide treatment as well as convey people to hospital. Many local authorities bought ambulances but transferred them to the Fire Brigades to run. It was not until the 80s and 90s that a fully professional paramedic led independent ambulance service was established throughout the country.

We then looked at some of the interiors of the latest ambulances, learning about their specifications with related documentation covering 71 pages. We were told that they have been crash tested, undertaken tilt tests to 37 degrees, must have hill start and hill descent capabilities. The interiors must be latex free and all cavities in the bodywork filled with fire retardant insulating material. There should be enough power to provided wi-fi services, air conditioning, lifesaving equipment and instruments as well as cameras which cover all aspects of the operation, both internally and externally. Did you know that the siren must operate at 120dB at 1 metre in front of the ambulance! Considering that they cost £150,000 to £300,000 each, ambulances need to be operational 24/7. They have a three year warranty on mechanicals and 8 years on the ambulance bodies.

In the short term, electric ambulances will be adopted, bringing us right back to where we started as the first UK ambulances were all electrically powered.

We then took a brief look at military ambulances, with the UK being mainly Land Rover-based but with some Alvis tracked vehicles, compared to American forces with their bigger truck-based ambulances, often derived from armoured personnel carriers.

Finally, we postulated about the future designs for ambulances.