Habitat

EMTs must be able to provide suitable and acceptable facilities for clinical care and staff needs.

EMT must design and use structures and safety measures to ensure that the facility is safe and functional. These include physical and environmental factors such as lighting, fencing, ground preparation and sufficient natural ventilation, which can be supplemented by mechanical ventilation if required. Staff deployed in emergency situations must be able to rely on their EMT organization to provide shelter, services and adequate working conditions that account for their safety and well-being to fulfil their life-saving duties.

1. Physical space should be in line with WHO minimum standards for patient numbers and space between stretchers,66 and use of water-resistant material easily cleaned with disinfectants.
2. Selected shelter should be durable enough to withstand the normal wear and tear of the emergency response, the rigors of transport and the climatic conditions in which they are used.
3. Shelters should be of sufficient height to allow clinical care staff to move freely and provide maximum space with vertical/near vertical walls.
4. All patient areas should be designed to allow cross-ventilation and access to people with disabilities or reduced mobility.
5. Flooring should have a solid base and an upper layer with non-slip,
   wear-resistant, fireproof, waterproof and antistatic surface.
6. All health facilities must include a ventilation system either natural and/or mechanical depending on local conditions.67
7. The airflow should always be clear and controlled with unidirectional flow from clean to dirty areas.
8. Separate, well-ventilated areas/wards must be set aside for patients suspected of having infectious diseases.

1. EMTs deploying in cold or hot climates must be able to carefully adjust climate control in certain areas to a range of 20–30 °C, including OT, pharmacy, laboratories and patient areas.
2. CO2 measurements could be an acceptable indicator of ventilation rate and air quality as an approximate measure. Accurate and affordable CO2 meters are available in the market to measure indoor air quality.
3. The prevailing wind speed and direction changes depending on the location.68 Anemometers are recommended equipment to perform and set up wind speed and direction measurements during the site assessment process.

• Windows and shading are the most important elements of passive cooling. They are the main source of heat gain, via direct radiation and conduction, and cooling via crossflow and fan-drawn ventilation, cool breeze access and night purging.
• Normal inpatient rooms not intended for patients with infectious diseases require at least four air changes per hour (ACH).
• The presence of mosquito nets reduces the surface area of the opening under consideration by 50%.
• Sufficient ventilation of at least 6 ACH (equivalent to 40 L/s per patient for m3 room) is a prerequisite for isolation rooms.
• Vestibule or airlock should be used to prevent transmission of infectious agents from the door opening.