We all know how quickly a motorcycle can cut through traffic, but an Emergency Medical Services team in Austin, Texas will soon be using bikes to reduce their response times. The motorcycles "...will go where ambulances cannot, quicker, faster and more effectively," says Joe Holt, president of the Greater Austin Crime Commission in a KVUE news story.
Equipped with sirens, lights and high tech medical equipment, Austin's BMW-based fleet will improve response times by as much as 60%. While Miami-Dade used Harleys to pioneer the first metropolitan motorcycle EMS service several years ago, more cities will hopefully jump on the bandwagon and put their EMS teams on two wheels.
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Photo © KVUE.com; click to enlarge
Sounds like a good idea!! Should get a better response time with the bikes and every second counts in a medical emergency.
Excellent. Just another reason that Austin is really a great place. Haven’t been there in years, but always enjoy visiting.
We were in London for a couple weeks during the summer of ‘04. Paramedics / 1st responders there are using ST1300’s. Apparently they’ve been using bikes for a long time and it’s a unqualifued success.
looking for someone who can assemble 3-wheeled motorcycle. have all parts but tires.how much would it cost me
There is a great group that is also in Texas called the Rescue Riders. They do essentially the same thing but are volunteer first responders. Not there to replace EMS but as a supplement and first eyes on the scene