Students from NDSU’s transportation and logistics program toured F-M Ambulance April 9 to get a first-hand look at emergency operations and the day-to-day services provided by ambulance crews.

Seven students enrolled in the spatial analysis in transportation course who are also members of the Association of Transportation met with F-M Ambulance operations manager Don Martin. A roundtable discussion included benefits of emergency medical services to the public when private business and public agencies work together. The discussion also explored the challenges of providing medical emergency services various political subdivision in two counties, two cities and multiple rural communities and townships in two states.

Students toured the emergency vehicles and dispatching centers. Martin noted, two potential research areas in ambulance operations are ambulance crash analysis and methods of securing carts in an ambulance in case of rolling due to accidents.

During the tour of the dispatching center, students were told the demand locations are estimated in advance, and ambulances are in motion to respond to emergency calls. The strategy allows the service to respond any call within 7 minutes and 59 seconds, one minute faster than national guidelines. Students saw the output of hot spot analysis based on historical spatial data and dynamic service coverage of the ambulances in motion.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.