Our emergency medical services (EMS) system is called SAMU (“Service d'Aide Medicale d'Urgence”). It was initiated in Paris in 1956. Since that date, it has developed a new concept of emergency transportation, which excludes speed as the best way for saving life threatened by danger. Indeed, this EMS System is based upon the same principles that are used everywhere, but there are some practical differences which are characteristic of the service in France. One example is the medicalization (physician-staffing), which permits excluding speed in transportation.

Everywhere, the fundamental EMS principle is to struggle against time to give efficient care as soon as possible. In emergency situations, all things are simpler and all treatment is more efficient if you can do it within the limit of time available for resuscitation. If this limit is surpassed, success is dubious. The means to reach it are more sophisticated and cost increases tremendously; however, the mortality goes up inexorably to death in all severe cases.