By Bill Carey
EMS1
PARK CITY, Utah — Paramedics with the Park City Fire District are using dirt bikes to respond to trail and off-road emergencies in their motorbike program.
The program has been in place for several years. Approximately 60 members of the department participate in training, KSL reported.
“When someone has an emergency on our trail, they call 911 and those coordinates are dispatched to us,” Captain Matt Provost said. “A lot of these trails are single track, and they’re not accessible by UTVs.”
Walking in on foot with heavy equipment can take hours. The motorbike offers a faster alternative.
“We want to get to our patients as quickly as possible doing the least amount of damage as possible,” Provost said.
The district currently has five motorcycles, outfitted with lights and sirens. Paramedics driving motorbikes carry necessary equipment in backpacks.
“We have an AED, we have medications to deal allergic reactions, also some Narcan and some saline. We also carry some glucose,” motorbike program leader Ricky Szukala, said.
“Our motorcycle will get to the patient first, make patient contact, and start patient care. They will talk to our incident command and figure out the best route to get a side-by-side to the patient,” Provost said.
The district also uses the training to educate the community on what they are doing and how it saves lives.