Brief description of the organization
The Emergency Services Association focuses on improving systems-level preparedness, training, and field usability for first responders and volunteers in emergency care environments. It promotes collaboration, research, and innovation at the intersection of emergency medicine and community response.
Problem area
Volunteer responders carry and use medical bags in unpredictable environments, yet many designs are not optimized for ergonomic use, inventory clarity, or environmental conditions. Poor layout and weight distribution can lead to reduced treatment speed and musculoskeletal strain.
Main objectives
- Compare current medical bags from responder programs (e.g., Candian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, Peel Regional Paramedic Services Community Responder Program).
- Identify ergonomic challenges and navigability issues.
- Design improved layout or modular components that support safety and efficiency.
- Explore voice-assisted or tracked inventory options for real-time navigation and control.
Scope of work
- Conduct observational analysis or surveys with anonymized info where needed.
- Build prototypes with physical or computer-aided design of improved bag layout or modules.
- Test usability and lifting posture alignment in simulated field scenarios.
- Propose hygiene strategies for hazardous or high-contamination environments.
Deliverables
- Report comparing ergonomic challenges across existing bags.
- Modular design or prototype mock-up with annotated features.
- Evaluation of ergonomic safety and field usability in trials.
- Presentation and summary for potential partner organizations.
Team meeting frequency
Bi-weekly
Skills and training required
- Physical ergonomics and human factors.
- Computer-aided design and prototyping.
- Field testing or task analysis.
- Simulation-based evaluation.
Resources required
- Access to physical prototyping tools, including 3D printers and workshop tools.
- Potential access to simulation space for testing.
- Descriptions, photos, or drawings of medical bags that are publicly available or de-identified.
- Experience-based feedback from volunteer responders or trainers on practical use and challenges.
- Potential access to non-sensitive kit layout or training resources to inform design considerations.