FORT RILEY, Kansas –
When a training accident happens in the field, minutes matter.
At Fort Riley, those minutes can determine whether a 1st Infantry Division Soldier makes a full recovery or suffers a career-ending disability. With the arrival of a new ambulance fleet at Irwin Army Community Hospital, those minutes are now better protected than ever.
The upgraded vehicles bring capabilities designed for the conditions of military training like rugged off-road terrain, unpredictable weather, and high-risk environments.
Emergency Medical Services at Fort Riley operate differently than most civilian systems. While civilian EMS primarily respond to emergencies on paved city streets, Fort Riley’s EMS must be prepared to enter live-fire ranges and training areas.
“Our EMS service responds to emergencies that involve tactical vehicles, weapons mishaps, and more climate-related injuries than civilian services would see,” said Dr. Andrew Bloom, Chief of the Department of Emergency Services and EMS Medical Director.
Before the arrival of the new fleet, EMS crews were operating ambulances past their prime, with over 100,000 miles of hard service on their frames.
“We’ve had ambulances that wouldn’t start and needed to be jumped just to be moved,” Bloom said.
The new fleet is able to reach casualties in conditions that previously would have caused delays. The old rear-wheel-drive vehicles struggled with Fort Riley’s rugged landscape and during periods of severe weather.
“During a major snowstorm a couple of years ago, the old ambulances couldn’t get through unplowed roads on post,” Bloom said. “We had to put patients in a fire department brush truck just to get them to a clear road where an ambulance could meet them. That’s not ideal medical care.”
The new ambulances are equipped with four-wheel drive, robust suspension, and heavy-duty front guards, significantly improving their ability to navigate mud, snow, and rough terrain. This capability translates into faster care.
“Time to definitive treatment is critical,” Bloom said. “Faster care decreases mortality and morbidity. It also allows for quicker pain control, which may reduce long-term effects from trauma, including conditions like post-traumatic stress.”
Beyond speed and mobility, the new ambulances enhance how care is delivered en route to the hospital. One of trauma’s most dangerous complications is hypothermia.
“Hypothermia in a trauma patient can be deadly, as blood loss causes the body’s temperature to drop, even on a hot day,” Bloom said. “Before, we were limited to cracking open chemical hot packs. Now, we can administer heated IV fluids and cover patients with 120-degree blankets from an onboard warmer.”
In scenarios with multiple casualties, the new ambulances offer another advantage. They can transport up to three litter patients simultaneously, compared to just one in the previous models.
“In a mass casualty event, this allows us to get more patients to the hospital with fewer vehicles, clearing the scene and moving casualties to definitive care much faster,” Bloom said.
But for all the technology packed into the new ambulances, Bloom said that the most life-saving feature is the “improved reliability.”
“The ambulances will look different, but the care will remain the same,” he said. “What’s improved is our ability to respond and deliver that care when and where it’s needed.”