The history of emergency medical services response to mass casualty incidents in disasters, Saudi Arabia

摘要

Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) in disasters across the globe are inevitable, and the emergency medical services (EMS) system has played a significant role during such events. This historical review seeks to examine the history of EMS response to MCIs in disasters in Saudi Arabia. Since the first recorded disaster in 1964, the Kingdom has witnessed a range of catastrophic events, causing many deaths and injuries and related economic damage. The country's EMS system dates back to 1934 when it was first incorporated into the health care system. Since then, EMS have responded to various MCIs by providing critical pre-hospital care to casualties during disasters. However, barriers affecting the service delivery often complicate those responses. Additionally, elderly people manifest unique challenges due to their age, which constrains EMS system effectiveness. Therefore, future studies should focus on such barriers to ascertain future EMS system efficiency.