A Study on the Effects of Establishing Wide-Area Ambulance Escape Routes in Heavy Snowfall Areas in Rural Regions

Key Points

• This research aims to analyze the challenges of emergency transport in rural snowfall areas and evaluate the effectiveness of ambulance escape routes.
• Calculated healthcare access areas considering regional snowfall characteristics.
• Analyzed disparities in emergency transport times among municipalities.
• Quantitatively assessed the impact of establishing ambulance escape routes on emergency medical facilities.
• Emergency transport times in rural snowfall areas are significantly longer than in urban areas.
• Municipalities with ambulance escape routes benefit more than surrounding areas without such routes.
• Local road improvements enhance the overall accessibility of emergency medical services.