In Japan, the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is dispatched as an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) in major disasters. DMAT consists of a physician, nurse, and operations coordinators. The operations coordinators include all occupations other than physicians and nurses, and are responsible for activities to facilitate medical treatment, gathering information, establishing communications, and ensuring transportation. Therefore, the operations coordinator must have in-depth knowledge of all aspects. Operations coordinators with this knowledge are qualified as logistics team members in addition to DMAT certification. Paramedics receive pre-graduate training in medical care, transport, and coordination with other organizations, and many of their daily duties are related to these areas. However, there are few opportunities to learn about logistics. If paramedics are effectively trained in logistics, they are likely to play an active role as operational coordinators. However, logistics covers a wide range of topics, and there are few studies on items that require focused education. Therefore, this study examines the level of understanding of each logistics item among paramedics active in the field of disaster medicine to identify items that should be emphasized.

A questionnaire survey of 36 paramedics was conducted, all of whom hold both DMAT and logistics team certifications, to determine their level of understanding and the importance of each logistics item. The logistics items used in the survey are specified in the Logistics Specialist Certification System of the Japanese Society of Disaster Medicine. The collected questionnaire results were analyzed using SPSS statistical software.

Characteristic trends were obtained in the logistics items required of paramedics. Trends were also analyzed according to the age and work history of paramedics.

The logistics education for paramedics needs to be enhanced in accordance with the trends obtained from the study. Specific studies on the means and timing of education will be needed in the future.