Ambulances are one of the most crucial places to consider
when trying to minimize the risk of Hospital Acquired Infections. EMS vehicles are a hotbed for many different
dangerous organisms to thrive given this constant interaction with the sick and wounded. In fact, a study of Chicago area ambulances showed that 69% were infected with staphylococcus aureus in 2012.* That is why there is a strong need to address the cleaning procedures within EMS vehicles. Due to the short amount of downtime between deployments, rapid disinfection methods are needed. Spraying and wiping chemicals can be time consuming, not
effective, and dangerous to those exposed. Fumigation may be effective,
but is traditionally too lengthy of a process. Ultraviolet Light disinfection fits the application nicely in that it does not require any chemicals to be used, is affordable to
run, and only takes minutes for disinfection to occur. Specifically designed for EMS vehicles, the Lantern is an
easily portable device that can be placed on any surface and disinfect the
vehicle of harmful bacteria within a minute and spores with 5 minutes. To
accommodate the design of EMS vehicles, the Lantern can also be turned upside
down and hung from handrails. The simplicity and ease of use, coupled
with the rapid disinfection time allows for the Lantern to be used in between
emergency activity, providing better safety for EMS crews, patients, and their
families.
*Rago et al. Detection and Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Found in Ambulances in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. American Journal of Infection Control 2012
