An additional, year-round ambulance at the seaside
Since the New Year, Świnoujście has gained a third medical rescue team, which will provide assistance around the clock throughout the entire year. This aims to enhance the safety of residents and reduce ambulance response times to patients.
In brief
Świnoujście gained a third, year-round emergency medical team on duty around the clock from 1 January 2025. Until now the third ambulance in Świnoujście operated only seasonally, from 1 June to the end of September, and the change was made possible by an update of the Action Plan of the State Emergency Medical Services System by the West Pomeranian Voivode Adam Rudawski. Emergency medical teams in Świnoujście carry out almost 5 thousand call-outs a year, and the new ambulance may cut waiting times by as much as several dozen minutes. The ambulance is stationed at Mieszka I Street.
Until now, Świnoujście had two medical rescue teams on duty daily: one basic team (with two paramedics) and one specialized team (with two paramedics and a doctor). A third team was only available seasonally, from June 1st to the end of September. Residents and local authorities had been advocating for years to keep the seasonal ambulance operational beyond the summer. This was finally achieved this year after the West Pomeranian Voivode updated the Action Plan for the State Medical Rescue System in the region.
“I heard about the need to establish a third year-round ambulance in Świnoujście within the first days of taking office, and I promised to prioritize the issue,” admits Adam Rudawski, West Pomeranian Voivode.
“Świnoujście has a unique location on an island at the edge of the voivodeship, with a terminal and gas port in operation, and it attracts many tourists. If two patients had to be transported to hospitals in Szczecin or Gryfice at the same time, Świnoujście was left without medical coverage for several hours. Additional patients in need of help had to wait for an ambulance to arrive from Międzyzdroje or Wolin, and we all know that every minute counts in such situations,” adds the Voivode.
Greater Safety for Residents and Tourists
The Świnoujście medical rescue teams respond to nearly 5,000 calls annually. A third year-round ambulance will enhance safety for residents and tourists, potentially reducing waiting times for assistance by several minutes.
According to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office in Szczecin, the ambulance is ready for deployment. It is stationed at the Świnoujście branch of the Provincial Emergency Medical Service at Mieszka I Street and will begin operations at midnight on January 1, 2025.
“Like all our basic ambulances, this is a Mercedes Benz vehicle equipped with the most advanced life-saving equipment,” says Roman Pałka, director of the Provincial Emergency Medical Service in Szczecin.
“It includes a defibrillator, ventilator, and AutoPulse—a mechanical chest compression device used in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. The team will consist of a basic crew: two paramedics or a paramedic and a system nurse,” concludes the director of the Provincial Emergency Medical Service.
Source: ZUW w Szczecinie / Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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