Evaluating the Disaster Preparedness of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Facilities: A Cross-Sectional Investigation in Iran

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The preparedness of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) plays a crucial role in managing and reducing health disaster risks. This study was conducted to assess the disaster preparedness of EMS facilities in Iran, using a nationally reliable tool. Methods A total of 52 EMS facilities in Iran were chosen for assessment in a cross-sectional study conducted through a census approach and their preparedness was evaluated to respond to emergencies and disasters. Results During the evaluation of the initial five hazards at each EMS center, a total of 31 hazards were recognized. Earthquakes, road traffic accidents, and floods were the most commonly cited by the majority of the EMS facilities. The results indicated that the majority of EMS facilities in Iran exhibit a moderate level of overall disaster preparedness. Additionally, when assessing the preparedness of EMS facilities across key domains of the research tool, it was observed that EMS facilities have average preparedness in all areas, except for "Coordination and Cooperation " and "surge capacity". The results of the independent t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean disaster preparedness scores between two groups of EMS facilities: one group that had conducted training courses (maneuvers) in the past year and another group that had not undergone any training courses (p = 0.001)." Nonetheless, the Pearson correlation analysis failed to reveal a significant relationship between the variable "the number of exercises(drill) conducted in the past year" and the facility's mean overall disaster preparedness score (r = 0.270, n = 52, P = 0.061). Conclusion The findings from this study indicated that a majority of EMS facilities in Iran are exposed to potential hazards such as earthquakes, floods, traffic collisions, droughts, and epidemics. Furthermore, the investigations revealed that while Iranian EMS facilities generally exhibit a moderate level of preparedness to respond to emergencies and disasters, additional endeavors are required to enhance preparedness in the domains of coordination and cooperation, and surge capacity.