2003

Mobile communication equipment for emergency situation in isolated and disaster context

MOBIL COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENTMENT FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN ISOLATED AND DISASTER CONTEXT
 
 
Eli Larsen, Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine

Engineers and medical doctors have succeeded in developing equipment for logistic and medical supports in mobile, isolated and disaster context. Technical and operational demonstrations of this concept have been achieved during the last 2002-quarter. A test of this new communication equipment to be used in case of big accidents will be performed among a wide range of users the next year. Test users are located in Norway, France and Italy. The Emergency Dispatch Centre at University hospital in Northern Norway (UNN) is among the users. The project group consists of; Medes (project management), Elsacom and Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine. European Space Agency funds the project.

The functions of the equipment can be summarized as following: - Victim/Patient localization (Accuracy < 6 meter (normally)), identification and priority is sent to Control Centre or field hospital. - Medical data (ECG 10 leads, NIBP, SaO2, Heart rate, Temperature) is sent from field to Control Centre. - Medical data is sent from ambulance to Control Centre. - Control Centre can see the position of the rescue teams, the position of victims and the positions of ambulances on an electronic map. - Globalstar or GSM is used as communication systems. Communication can be data or speech.

In an emergency situation, communication is of very high priority. Well adapted equipment within this area could give added value to this user groups. During the project period, a detail plan for a service based on the tested equipment will be planned.

The presentation will include a short video, demonstrating the equipment in the field.

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