Characteristics of civil defense search and rescue units, Turkey, 2008-2009.

BACKGROUND: Search and rescue (SAR) is a component of emergency and disaster response. SAR teams are limited in number; thus, collecting information on their characteristics may facilitate the establishment of mutual agreement protocols between countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of the Turkish Civil Defense SAR Units. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted in 11 provinces of Turkey from July 2008 to October 2009. Interviews, observations and records were used to gather data, and descriptive statistics are presented. To evaluate the adequacy of personnel and equipment, a Likert-type scoring system was used (0-4 points). RESULTS: The size and population density of regions served by SAR Units varied. The mean duration of ground transportation from SAR Unit bases to the furthest provinces in their regions was 4.0±1.2 hours. The mean gathering and loading times were 70.5±42.3 and 48.6±18.0 minutes, respectively. The total employment ratio was 55.6%. The surface and underwater rescue section showed the highest functional sufficiency (3.3±0.7). The mean value for adequacy of SAR equipment was 2.6. Deficiencies were identified in periodic medical check-ups, preventive health measures and after-mission medical examinations for the personnel. CONCLUSION: There is a need for standardization and improvement in various characteristics of SAR Units.

Ambulance times of Ankara emergency aid and rescue services' ambulance system.

The aim of this study was to determine various times related to the ambulance activities of Ankara Emergency Aid and Rescue Services (EARS) and if necessary contribute to the improvement of them. A descriptive study was planned to determine various times related to the ambulance activities of Ankara EARS. The data was collected by one of the researchers. The study was conducted between 1 October 1995 and 30 September 1996. The variables of the study were: delay time, response time, time at the scene (scene time), round trip time, transport time and total run time of Ankara EARS ambulance activities. Ankara EARS Emergency Call Registry Forms (5638 forms) were evaluated for the above stated variables. The computer program EPI-INFO 5.0 was used in the study. The median response time of Ankara EARS was found to be 9 minutes. In the research year, the median delay time was 2 minutes. Median arrival to patient contact time of Ankara EARS was 2 minutes. Median time at the scene was 7 minutes. Median round trip time of the system was 44 minutes. The median time to arrive at the scene from the ambulance station was 8 minutes. The median transport time was 10 minutes. The median total run time was 30 minutes. As the median response time was found to be 9 minutes it is concluded that there should be more ambulance vehicles to improve this time of Ankara EARS. Due to financial problems, times were recorded manually by the ambulance crew and dispatchers of Ankara EARS. If digital and electronic recording systems are used, these times might be more precise.

Costing of an ambulance system in a developing country, Turkey: costs of Ankara Emergency Aid and Rescue Services' (EARS) ambulance system.

The purposes of the study were to determine the total cost of Ankara Emergency Aid and Rescue Services (EARS), to calculate the cost of a single ambulance response and the cost per patient responded to. A descriptive study was planned to find out the cost of Ankara EARS, conducted between 1 October 1995 and 30 September 1996. The main variables of the study were the capital and recurrent costs of the system. The data relating to the costs were obtained from financial registries of various health institutes and personnel working in the system. The data was collected by two of the researchers. The total and average costs--cost per one ambulance run and cost per one patient--were determined. The total cost of Ankara EARS ambulance system in the period between 1 October 1995 and 30 September 1996 was US$918,877.90. The total capital costs of Ankara EARS was US$85,171.10 (9.3% of the total cost). The total recurrent costs of Ankara EARS was US$833,706.80 (90.7% of the total cost). The cost per one ambulance run was US$163.00. On the other hand the cost per patient or injured person was US$180.50. In Ankara, Turkey, the costs of such ambulance services could not be afforded by the private sector. The ambulance service activities should continue to be a part of primary health care services and the Ministry of Health should continue to serve in this field.

Emergency aid and rescue services in Turkey (ambulance services).

This article outlines the recent status of ambulance services provided by Emergency Aid and Rescue Services (EARS) in the Republic of Turkey. EARS would seem to be the future model of emergency medical systems (EMS) in Turkey.

A case of human orotracheal myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica.

A case of orotracheal myiasis in an 80-year-old man in coma for 1 week in the intensive care unit of Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, is reported. A number of larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica were recovered repeatedly from the mouth and from the intubation tube of the patient and were reared to adults to facilitate identification. This case history points out the risky of myiasis caused by W. magnifica in the unconscious, debilitated patient.

Examination of joint space by magnetic resonance imaging in anatomically normal knees.

The medical and lateral knee joint spaces of 184 patients who had anatomically normal knees were measured by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method. The findings were compared according to age, sex, height, and body mass index changes of the individuals and the mean values of medial and lateral knee joint spaces were calculated in every group. The results show that in an anatomically normal population, all the individuals have larger lateral knee joint spaces than medial knee joint spaces. The patients lose knee joint space regularly with increasing age. Children have larger knee joint spaces than adults. Men have larger knee joint spaces than women. The knee joint space size of the patients increase regularly with increasing height up to 180 cm. The patients, who are taller than 180 cm do not show any marked difference in joint space size, when compared with the patients whose heights differ in between 171-180 cm. Knee joint space size is not related to the body mass index of the individual.

[Comparison of Sabin-Feldman dye and ELISA IgG tests for Toxoplasma gondii serology]. / Toxoplasma gondii serolojisinde Sabin-Feldman dye ve ELISA-IgG testlerinin kiyaslanmasi.

The antibody titers against T. gondii in sera collected from patients whom suspected of toxoplasmosis and normal control subjects were tested and compared by Sabin-Feldman Dye and ELISA-IgG tests. The results are discussed in terms of specificity, sensitivity and correlation between two tests.

[Toxoplasmosis studies in cattle by serological methods]. / Haralarimiz sibirlarinda serolojik yöntemlerle toksoplasmoz arastirmasi.

2037 cattle sera from seven breeding farms were analysed by SF and KBR methods. 27.29 % positive results were obtained by SF method and 8.94 % by KBR methods. The distribution of titres is shown in table VI. Race and age have no effect on toxoplasmosis infection. Positive findings varying from 1828-43-48 % were obtained in different regions which meant the effect of geografical factor. It is concluted that these differences were due to the cats, found in the government farms which spread the disease. It was observed that toxoplasmosis caused abortions, complicated still birth deliveries, post natal mortality. The SF and KBR methods were applied separately on cattle with or without clinical syndroms. It was found that the more acute cases showed higher titres.

[A case of toxoplasmosis detected by the Sabin-Feldman test]. / Sabin - Feldman deneyi ile izlenen bir toxoplasmosis olgusu

A case of abortion in a mother who suffered a two month abortion was diagnosed and the course of the infection was followed up by before and during the therapy, using the Sabin - Feldman test.