Ambulance Transports from NCAA Division 1 Football Games

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Mass gatherings pose significant challenges to municipal Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
• Effective emergency preparedness is crucial for managing patient care at large public events.
• Understanding patient transport trends from collegiate sporting events can inform resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patient transport data from NCAA Division 1 collegiate football games.
• To identify trends in patient demographics, chief complaints, and medical severity.
• To inform emergency preparedness and resource planning for mass gatherings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of Patient Care Reports (PCRs) from ambulance transports.
• Data collected over six years from varsity collegiate football games at a major public university.
• Abstraction of pertinent information from each PCR.

Main Results:

• 73 patient transports occurred over six years, with a median age of 22; 45.2% were male.
• Alcohol-related chief complaints accounted for 50.7% of transports.
• 31.5% of patients had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15; Advanced Life Support (ALS) transports were associated with lower GCS and abnormal vital signs.

Conclusions:

• Collegiate football games generate significant demand for EMS, with alcohol being a frequent factor.
• Beyond alcohol, the data indicate the potential for serious medical conditions requiring transport.
• Findings underscore the need for robust emergency preparedness and resource planning for mass-gathering events.