Humboldt General Hospital's EMS has one more way to respond to the medical needs of county residents and visitors.
The hospital's Emergency Medical Services department recently launched a "Rescue Bike Patrol"-an effort which successfully debuted during "Run-A-Mucca 2009," held over the Memorial Day weekend in Winnemucca.
Paramedics Tony Shope and Andrew Loveless, who were deployed to the annual event from Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24, responded to three 911 activated calls during the event.
When a pedestrian was struck by an automobile, the bike unit had a response time of under 60 seconds after the alert page. The crew also responded to a heat emergency and an assault.
Additionally, the bike team handled several small abrasions, cuts and scrapes suffered during the event; in all, the two paramedics estimate they treated over a dozen people during the three-day weekend.
According to Shope, the public's reaction to the bike patrollers was "unbelievable." "The patrol constantly received kudos and accolades of appreciation for the effort we put forth," he said.
Shope added that residents stated how lucky the community is to have such dedicated EMTs and Paramedics to serve them. Additionally, Shope said many of the biker participants and Run-A-Mucca organizers thanked the crew for their presence.
Shope said the crew's mountain bikes allowed them ease of access in crowded areas. But what many participants didn't know was the level of care the team was capable of delivering.
The bikes are akin to a "mini ambulance on two wheels," said Shope, who said team members carried everything from first-aid and trauma supplies to oxygen tanks, masks and even a defibrillator in cases of sudden cardiac arrest.
Shope and Loveless established a patrol route starting at Fourth and Lay streets, traveling through the Run-A-Mucca vendor area to Bridge Street, down past Winnemucca Boulevard to Brown's True Value Hardware, back up to Railroad Street, past the Mine Shaft Bar, back to the Boulevard, down to the Model T and its carnival and back to the starting point on Fourth Street.
In all, the complete patrol route was approximately two miles-a distance the bike unit covered four times on Friday, seven times on Saturday and three times on Sunday for a weekend total of 28 miles.
The team's mileage did not include their many frequent trips up and down the vendor area on Fourth Street, nor did it account for their call responses.
Because of their frequent trips, Shope said carnival workers came to expect the crew's regular pass-throughs, the staff at the Model T was almost on a first name basis as well as staff members at local bars who were grateful for the EMS presence. Shope said law enforcement officials also expressed their appreciation for the weekend effort.
The patrol logged a little over 23 hours on the bikes while on volunteer status. Shope said the team's time donation came as a surprise to local and visiting attendees. One local resident even teased the two: "Nice way to make some overtime."
"When we advised him that the patrol was staffed by volunteer operators, his reply was, 'Why?'" said Shope. "It was a good time to explain that this is the level of dedication, education and motivation which our department provides to the community 24/7/365."
Humboldt General Hospital Emergency Medical Services Director Pat Songer said the local Rescue Bike Patrol will become a common feature at local events throughout the spring, summer and fall.
"The Run-A-Mucca weekend once again showed the versatility of our department to provide state-of-the-art, top quality patient care in multiple venues," said Songer.
He added, "Our goal is to do what we can, when we can to ensure that local residents and visitors to our community are cared for in the most prompt, attentive manner possible."
For more information on the Emergency Medical Services department at Humboldt General Hospital, please contact Director Pat Songer at (775) 623-5222, ext. 160.