title: Does temporary location of ambulances ("fluid deployment") affect response times and patient outcome?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this paper is to evaluate the response times and outcome of patients in two groups of patients attended by permanently (PS) and temporarily stationed ambulances (TS) (fluid deployment).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients transported and treated by EMS between March 21, 2012 and March 20, 2013 in a city with 1.7 million inhabitants (Shiraz, Iran) were studied. Using the same number of ambulances, patients were divided into two groups: transported by ambulances dispatched from permanent ambulance stations (PS) vs. dispatched from temporary locations (TS). Furthermore, due to a high discrepancy in the number of missions between PS and TS in this group, a pilot study was also conducted to confirm the first result. The results were statistically analyzed using various methods and compared with regard to mortality and response time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study (both periods), ambulances dispatched from TS had a reduction of their mean response times by 2 min compare to ambulances dispatched from PS. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001-[95 % CI, 1.975, 2.025]). The pre-hospital mortality rate was also significantly lower for this group (p = 0.04-[95 % CI, 0.006, 0.012]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that temporary deployment of ambulances reduce response times and may improve early survival rates in patients managed by EMS.
authors.affiliation: Pre-hospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Department of surgery, Institute of clinical sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Regionens HUS SE-40544, Gothenburg, Sweden. peyravi110@gmail.com.|Faculty of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR, Iran. peyravi110@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahmoudreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peyravi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khodakarim
authors.affiliation: Pre-hospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Department of surgery, Institute of clinical sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Regionens HUS SE-40544, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Örtenwall
authors.affiliation: Pre-hospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Department of surgery, Institute of clinical sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Regionens HUS SE-40544, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khorram-Manesh
keywords: Ambulances; Emergency medical services; Mortality; Response time; Temporarily stationed