Emergency Medical Services in Spain

One of these in your rearview mirror and you need to make room for it to pass!

I wrote of the design of the funeral hearse in my last blog. Little did I know how close I had come to writing also of the ambulance service as in days gone by, often a funeral director was the operator of both services making multi-use of the same vehicle. After all, if you needed to lie down did you really need two vehicles if you could accomplish the same thing in one?

I guess we all became a little squemish, but I can understand that. I imagine having had a bad accident and being collected in the dual use vehicle. If you woke up along the way you could be forgiven for panicking. Am I dead?
Am I on the way to hospital or mortuary? It is quite enough to have to worry about how the hell am I going to pay for this?

We take our Emergency Medical Services for granted because whenever we need them they are there for us. However, a lot of thought has gone into making the service what it is today. In the past often the means of taking someone to hospital was in an available car. A passenger waved a white cloth out the window and the driver lay permanently on the horn. Many of  today's ambulances offer only transportation to hospital with no first aid enroute. These are called : "Ambulancia no-assistancial." They are generally crewed by one driver, or perhaps with an assistant as well.

From June, 2012, the crew of these ambulances must hold an EMT-B certificate, or a Professional Ceretificate of Proficiency for emergency Technicians. Although they do not promise to offer assistance along the way, should the need arise they might intervene to try and get the patient to the hospital alive.

The next step up from that are those ambulances noted as "Ambulancia de SVB." That means that they do provide basic life support, and are generally crewed by two or three personnel.

At the top of the chain is the "Ambulancia de SVA/UVI Movil." If this service is available to respond to really complicated emergencies patients have a better chance of survival to hospital as the service includes a doctor, a nurse, an assistant and a driver. This is the most advanced system in Spain and approximates the EMS service in The United States of America.

I have grown very interested in these types of assistance and rescue services, so I will study more on the most extreme services with a view to writing about a day in the life of such a crew.

More next week!!!!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

The Undertaker's Hearse

Why do we need all that window space when we can't see out?


I recently found myself to be the first car following a hearse. It was not a funeral, just that he was driving along with me following. That is a much better situation than to have a hearse following me, as happened many years ago. On that occasion he followed me for such a long distance I had the feeling he was sending me a message that said, "We're ready when you are!"

I know, this is a bit of a downer topic, but its just that I got to wondering why a hearse has so much glass. The one that I was following had curtains that were closed, so presumably he had been to collect someone who had died, and having put that person in a body bag the driver thought it best to close the curtains.

When they are taking the body to the cemetary the curtains are open, displaying a coffin. People along the street couldn't give a fig's leaf, as long as it's not them, and even if they did give a glance all that they see is a box. Whoopie!

Normally, the only people who care and are drawn to the event taking place are family and friends. The rest of the world have no need to view the box because it is an unnecessary reminder that our time is coming, and probably all too soon. That leaves me wondering about the design of the hearse, and what was in the mind of the designers. What do they think is being accomplished?

Just one of those everyday things that we generally don't give a thought to.


Copyright (c) 2013    Eugene Carmichael

The Great Motorcycle Taxi Service

A motorcycle taxi for two!

I have been down this road before, but a friend has just come back from Africa and the thing that she found most difficult to adjust to was being taken on the back of a motorcycle every time she had to get somewhere.

We go about our daily business in such comfort and security that we never spare a thought for travel options in other countries. Here in Spain, a taxi ride usually means in a saloon car with seat belts. In my own country they use mainly seven-seater cars that are kept immaculate as a matter of pride for the driver who also is dressed for the part. In New York we have heard some horror stories about the yellow cabs that are sometimes driven by people who have no idea of how to get to where you want to go. It is also in New York where you can choose to call for a Town Car service, and you will find that this is the extreme opposite to a possible yellow cab ride.

The developing world is another story. If you're lucky, getting there by a tuck tuck could be a luxury way to go, but in so many other countries the only option is to go by motorcycle. In my country you can actually hire a moped, but for some Americans it proves too much to adapt to riding on the left side of the road. There have been some deaths because this type of mistake is unforgiving, although most people do get it right.

My own experience of riding pillion passenger in Africa was unnerving because I could not afford a stay in hospital due to a crash. Most of the guys do ride carefully, but the one time one of them did go down he was at least moving at a slow pace and I was able to hop off and I even helped him. It was perhaps because I have been a motorcycle rider all my life, but sometimes things happen due to slippery wet conditions or patches of sand that are difficult to avoid.

What drove me crazy was to see bikes with two adults and three children, with shopping. I would cringe thinking of that accident just waiting to happen, and of course, the children would pay the highest price.

Having said that, since time began my fellow countrymen have carted all manner of things on their bikes, including the family Christmas tree. I guess it's about making do with what you have, but as a tourist I do sympathise with the young lady. A taxi to us means at least something that has four sides.

 Room for one more!

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

Dream time at Ricardo Tormo Race Circuit!

Special Race Day at Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Cheste, Valencia, Spain

Sunday, May 5th, 2013 the racing circuit at Ricardo Tormo, in Cheste, Valencia opened the course to all those Wanna Be's who have dreamt of being a Hamilton or a Vettel or an Alonzo. You were permitted to bring your private car to the course, and after paying an entry fee of 250 euros, plus incidentals like insurance, etc, you got to go out on the course and do your thing.

I had considered taking my Jag along, but I'm not so sure I should be racing my classic car around the course. That would be pushing the car to, and probably beyond its limits, which would be a terrible thing to do to an 18-year old. So, I went to watch the action. The first thing I noticed was that there was not one Jaguar in the place. A wise choice on my part! I got there about 11am, and the only action that was taking place was with three Formula 3 cars that were doing the course, then coming in to the pit stop for a change of driver. That gave me the impression that I had misunderstood. It seemed that you could only go around the course in one of those.

I was beginning to have second thoughts. That would have been different. Perhaps I should sign up. However, at noonday, (12o'clock) out came the procession of private cars. They were 24 in all. One car was allowed to go around on its own. It fished tailed all the way, seeming never to gain control. Everybody stood and watched in awe and horror. Why was this happening? The answer was simple. The car was being driven by a stunt driver, but he succeeded in freaking out all the novices who were ready to go.

The line up included a Porshe, several BMW's, a couple of Mercedes, and a red Ferrari. They were supposed to be able to do four laps of the course, but in the end they were allowed to do about double that. They all began nicely enough as they got the feel of the course, with several coming in to change drivers. As they got into the swing of things they began to relax and the competition became fierce with a whole lot of overtaking going on, just like on the motorway. The Ferrari came in for a change of driver, and as the new driver was making his second lap, he skidded and spun three times, ending safely off the track. The car was not damaged although it took them a long time to return to the pits, mostly I think, because the drivers were so shook up. I'm fairly certain the driver must have tightened his butt muscles.

I think everybody must have had fun. They certainly drove their cars hard. At least two came in to say that they had no brakes because of overheating. They were lucky to have had a perfect day, weather-wise, although the moderately hot conditions would not have helped with tyre temperatures. Fortunately there were no accidents that involved damage to cars, nor injuries.

Closer to Christmas there will be Classic Car Day at the track that will allow me to take the Jag to the course and to drive children from some care homes to fulfill a wish for them. It will also fulfill a wish for me as well, so I will definitely look forward to that. It''s in my diary so I will report on that experience with pleasure.

So, you want to be a race car driver? Private cars on the race track at Cheste.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael