Citation

Jain T, Sibley A, Stryhn H, Hubloue I. Prehosp. Disaster Med. 2018; 33(4): 375-380.

Affiliation

3Department of Emergency Medicine,Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel,Research Group in Emergency and Disaster Medicine,Vrije Universiteit Brussel,Jette,Belgium.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S1049023X18000559

PMID

30001765

Abstract

IntroductionThe proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has the potential to change the way medical incident commanders (ICs) respond to mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) in triaging victims. The aim of this study was to compare UAV technology to standard practice (SP) in triaging casualties at an MCI.

METHODS: A randomized comparison study was conducted with 40 paramedic students from the Holland College Paramedicine Program (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada). Using a simulated motor vehicle collision (MVC) with moulaged casualties, iterations of 20 students were used for both a day and a night trial. Students were randomized to a UAV or a SP group. After a brief narrative, participants either entered the study environment or used UAV technology where total time to triage completion, GREEN casualty evacuation, time on scene, triage order, and accuracy were recorded.

RESULTS: A statistical difference in the time to completion of 3.63 minutes (95% CI, 2.45 min-4.85 min; P=.002) during the day iteration and a difference of 3.49 minutes (95% CI, 2.08 min-6.06 min; P=.002) for the night trial with UAV groups was noted. There was no difference found in time to GREEN casualty evacuation, time on scene, or triage order. One-hundred-percent accuracy was noted between both groups.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using a UAV at an MCI. A non-clinical significant difference was noted in total time to completion between both groups. There was no increase in time on scene by using the UAV while demonstrating the feasibility of remotely triaging GREEN casualties prior to first responder arrival.Jain T, Sibley A, Stryhn H, Hubloue I.Comparison of unmanned aerial vehicle technologyassisted triage versus standard practice in triaging casualties by paramedic students in a mass-casualty incident scenario.

Language: en

Keywords

ACP advance care paramedic; EMS Emergency Medical Services; FLIR forward-looking infrared; IC incident commander; MCI mass-casualty incident; MVC motor vehicle collision; PCP primary care paramedic; SP standard practice; START Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment; UAV unmanned aerial vehicle; EMS; MCI; UAV; disaster medicine; technology