Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) is the largest ambulance service provider in the state of Oklahoma, serving more than one million people in Tulsa and Oklahoma City with a fleet of 70 ambulances. These ambulances aren't sitting in station houses waiting for calls. Instead, EMSA uses systems status management tools to keep ambulances on the move and where the people are.

According to Chuck Smith, administrative supervisor at EMSA, this system produces one of the fastest response times and best patient outcomes of any EMS departments in the country. "We are very technology driven," says Smith. "But the technology has to have a direct impact on our performance. We will embrace any new tool that improves patient care or cuts down on response times. If the technology doesn't achieve at least one of these, we walk away from it."

More than two years ago, EMSA was looking for a way to improve emergency response times at big events, when out of the blue, two Segway® Personal Transporters (HTs) showed up at their headquarters.

"Our president, Steve Williamson, is focused on keeping us on the forefront of technology," says Smith. "He saw the Segway PT at a conference and immediately bought two of them, thinking that their maneuverability would make them ideal for moving our paramedics through big crowds."

Today, the Segway PTs are EMSA's primary response device for big events. "We use two Segway PTs at the State Fair of Oklahoma," says Smith. "There are hundreds of thousands of people attending the event over ten days, and ambulances are definitely not effective in moving through the crowds."

"In the past we used customized golf carts outfitted with a stretcher and all the equipment of a life support ambulance. Unfortunately, they, too, struggled in the crowds," says Smith. "Our bicycles beat the cart response times, but the Segway PTs cuts even the bicycle response times in half. They are incredibly effective in crowds because the Segway PTs are balanced at any speed - even when they are stopped. And they can turn on a dime. Our responders also have great sight lines when they're on a Segway PT because they're a head taller than everyone else. This is not the case when they are on bicycles and their sight lines are lower than the crowd."

"We use the Segway PTs to respond quickly and get to the patient," says Smith. "We've outfitted the Segway PTs to carry oxygen, heart defibrillators, cardiac drugs, trauma supplies and advanced airway supplies. The golf carts follow to provide patient transport. They operate as a team."

All told Smith has eight advanced life support crews with a dispatcher and supervisor on site at the Fair. He also uses the Segway PTs at football games and other events that draw crowds.

"The Segway PTs have capabilities that no other vehicles have," says Smith. "I can see us expanding the ranks of Segway PTs because they are very useful tools."

Call a Segway toll-free at 1-866-4SEGWAY today to learn more about how the Segway PT can get your emergency medical services team moving.