The Piaggio MP3 Ambulance Seeks To Empower First Responders

The concept of a motorcycle ambulance is one that offers a lot of potential especially in rural, hard-to-reach areas which a standard four-wheeled ambulance may have difficulty getting to. While a motorcycle may not have the carrying capacity of a conventional ambulance, it can definitely serve as a vital first-response tool to deliver first aid and much-needed medical supplies, especially when piloted by a trained responder.

Indeed, the instantaneous delivery of aid in emergency situations can spell the difference between life and death. As it would turn out, Piaggio makes a rather capable three-wheeled scooter in the form of the MP3 which, when outfitted with the proper technology, can deliver as much utility as a small car while retaining the agility of a motorcycle. As mentioned earlier, a first-responder vehicle based on the Piaggio MP3 will certainly come in handy especially in hard to reach areas such as recreational parks, beaches, mountain roads, and rural regions with tight roadways.

On top of this, the Piaggio MP3 offers substantially more stability as opposed to a conventional motorcycle thanks to its three-wheeled setup—something that’s sure to quell the doubts of rescuers and first responders who are reluctant to ride a conventional motorcycle. In Israel, Magen David Adom, an NGO which is a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, has been using the Piaggio MP3 as a first-responder vehicle.

In fact the organization has procured 500 Piaggio MP3s, all of which outfitted with Basic Life Support Defibrillation (BLSD) equipment. These three-wheeled emergency vehicles truly have truly helped the MDA achieve its task which is to “give the proper medical response to all the patients who are in need throughout the Israeli territory, in the best way they can and as fast as possible.” To maximize the efficiency of the MP3 first-response vehicles, the MDA has setup a computer-based system which it has been using for the past few years. It involves the triangulation of emergency calls via GPS, which automatically cross checks with the organization’s fleet of vehicles to deliver aid in as little as four minutes.

Of course, in situations where the patient will need to be transported to a hospital, a conventional ambulance will be needed. In that case, the Piaggio MP3 can arrive at the scene minutes or even hours before the ambulance can, and stabilize the patient and prepare them for transport once the ambulance arrives.