Waldo,
Under the circumstances of the attacks 11th September any emergency service system how good it may be will be hard pressed.
So let's consider normal circumstances, I'd be more focussed in getting transport by land or air into a traumacenter. Most medics/nurses/MD's learn to insert IV's on people that arent in shock. Placing an IV on a patient in shock is a whole different ballgame, due to constriction of arteries(thus limiting the venous return) and redistribution of the circulation(Heart, lungs and brain are prioritized).
So consider that if you get it done you're starting treatment in the pre hospital stage. But if you cant get it in, you're wasting space for more experience operators(popped veins are a mess to insert iv's in.) and you're losing your most important ally, time.
With all due respect of course for your wife, as I have no idea on how proficient she is with IV's.
Kuiper