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Medically Equipped Motorcycles Increase Response Time

The bikes enable paramedics to weave through traffic faster than ambulances.

BY: | July 21, 2011



When thirty seconds can mean the difference between life and death, it's important for emergency responders to keep looking for ways to get to incidents faster. What's faster than a motorcycle? In Austin, Texas, paramedics now drive them to emergencies on Interstate 35, reports the Daily Texan. The bikes, which are medically equipped with almost everything needed to treat any injury or illness, weaves through traffic faster than an ambulance -- arriving on scenes up to five minutes earlier. If the paramedics arrive to see that an ambulance isn't necessary, they can tell it to turn around, which can possibly increase their response time to a later, more serious call. So far, the pilot program has rolled out four bikes and trained nine paramedics to drive and operate them. The paramedics must take an annual motorcycle safety course, as well as a modified version of the police department's motorcycle training.    


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Caroline Cournoyer

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's deputy web editor.

E-mail: ccournoyer@governing.com
Twitter: @governing

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