Magen David Adom announced a first-of-its-kind solution that will address medical teams and the ambulance driver, with the goal of preventing them from being exposed to Corona patients. The first 50 ambulances from all over the country have been outfitted and another 70 will be outfitted in the coming days. The complete separation of MDA ambulances between the driver’s cabin and the patient’s cabin was carried out in collaboration with IDF unit 81.
The Sealed Separation Ambulance is designed to evacuate mild Corona patients who need to be evacuated to continue treatment in a designated location. Thus, the driver remains isolated from the verified patients and not exposed to the Corona virus. It should be noted that the separation exists only in designated ambulances for Corona patients who are in mild condition and who do not need medical treatment during the evacuation.
The separation was carried out by installing metal walls that are bolted from the ceiling to the floor, creating a complete seal and complete isolation between the driver’s compartment and the passenger compartment. A separate, opaque window is added to the separation wall, allowing the driver to see the passenger compartment and make eye contact with the paramedic in it, if necessary. The ambulance driver and medical team located in the back of the separated ambulance will be able to communicate using a microphone.
According to MDA, if the pilot program expands – the separation walls can be installed in ten ambulances daily, thus protecting drivers and crews from exposure to Corona patients. The airflow in the rear of the ambulance will be exterior and different from that of the driver, in the front of the vehicle.
