Evaluation of Pre-Hospital Emergency Ambulance Equipment Compliance with National Standards in a Developing Region: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zabol, Iran

Introduction: Pre-hospital emergency medical services play a pivotal role in reducing mortality, particularly in trauma cases. The quality of these services heavily relies on the availability of standard equipment. This study aimed to evaluate the compliance of ambulance equipment in Zabol County with the standards set by the Iranian Ministry of Health and to compare urban and road bases. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 using a census method on all active ambulances (n=23) in Zabol County. A standardized checklist based on the 7th edition of the National EMS Guidelines was used, categorizing equipment into medical and non-medical groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (v.22) with descriptive statistics and independent t-test. Results: The overall compliance of ambulance equipment with national standards was 57.4%. Medical equipment showed higher compliance (64.2%) compared to non-medical equipment (48.7%). A significant disparity was observed between base types; urban bases demonstrated significantly higher overall compliance compared to road bases (56.2% vs. 45.8%, respectively). Critical items like AEDs showed high availability (95.7%), while specialized trauma equipment like traction splints were scarce, particularly in road bases (18.8%). Conclusion: The preparedness of ambulances in Zabol is at a moderate level, with a concerning gap in non-medical equipment and significant inequality between urban and road bases. Given the region’s high traffic accident rate, prioritizing resource allocation to road bases and upgrading trauma-related equipment is urgent.