Emergency Medical Services response to wildfires from a public health perspective: A systematic review

Abstract

As the incidence and intensity of wildfire events continue to increase globally, it is crucial to understand how Emergency Medical Services (EMS) respond to such extreme situations. Hence, this study aimed to synthesize existing evidence on EMS responses during wildfire episodes. A systematic search of five electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline Ovid, Embase, and Scopus) was conducted using predefined search terms, with no time or geographical restrictions. This review included peer-reviewed full-text English-language articles that explored the EMS responses during wildfires. After removing duplicate records, the titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened using the eligibility criteria, and data were extracted independently using a data extraction template by two reviewers. Five databases recorded a total of 1339 articles. After removing the duplicates, 723 articles were screened by their title and abstract, and 30 full-text articles were reviewed. Finally, 6 full-text articles were included for data analysis. This review documented that EMS provided counseling support, acute health care services, burn and injury services, services for respiratory and ophthalmology problems, clinical services, and coordination services following wildfire episodes. Additionally, EMS delivers both direct and indirect (using telephone), short- and long-term physical and mental health services, as well as referral health services with clinical and community health services. The study's findings help to understand the current practice of EMS services and identify potential shortcomings. EMS services should be extended to ensure the safeguarding of vulnerable communities from the threat of wildfires as well as the preparedness and resilience of EMS systems should be enhanced to improve patient outcomes and save lives during such episodes.