SAN FRANCISCO — Paramedics from the San Francisco Fire Department have completed training and begun bicycle-based patient response at the San Francisco International Airport in preparation for Super Bowl 50.
Fire department officials told the Daily Journal that the airport paramedics are learning to traverse the airport by bicycle to improve medical emergency response.
The paramedics are equipped with lightweight cardiac monitors for acquiring 12-lead ECGs and other equipment required to assess and treat patients before an ambulance arrives, Capt. Justin Schorr wrote in a blog post.
The paramedics will be deployed when airport authorities predict above normal passenger traffic, such as Super Bowl 50, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 7.
Bicycle instructors from the San Francisco Police Department trained the airport paramedics on the unique challenges of operating bikes in crowded places. At this time paramedics are using bicycles on loan from the police department.
EMS Bike Program from the ground up https://t.co/cjvOQShWFu pic.twitter.com/RxcfOKJAov
— the Happy Medic (@theHappyMedic) December 20, 2015