EMS Motorcycles for FDNY?

[GM911 0]

CAN'T HARLEY WAIT: EMS REJECTS FREE MOTORCYCLES

By DAVID SEIFMAN

New York Post

November 11, 2007 -- IT seems like a no- brainer: Equip the Emergency Medical Service with motorcycles to weave through the city's notorious traffic jams and cut response times to life-threatening emergencies.

But after six months of study, the FDNY still hasn't taken up an offer of eight free Harley-Davidsons secured by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum for a six-month pilot project.

"The Fire Department thinks that using the motorcycles for EMS would be unsafe," said one source.

It's not clear why, since fire officials refuse to explain their reservations other than to say, "The proposal is still under review."

Motorcycles have shown their worth in medical emergencies in Florida and elsewhere. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue service reported reaching critical emergencies in an average of 2.83 minutes, a 60 percent improvement, after the cycles were introduced in 2004.

Here in the city, it took ambulances an average of 5.14 minutes last month to get to the most serious calls.

Kent Aarosen, a Manhattan resident who proposed the idea to Gotbaum after seeing EMS cycles in action in London, said he's baffled by the FDNY's inaction.

"What we have in this program is reduced response times, increased patient survivability and increased access to early defibrillation" during heart attacks, he said.

Aarosen conceded that the bikes might not work in the winter, so he suggested the pilot be conducted from April through September.

If the FDNY keeps resisting, he said he might take the deal to the Port Authority or other jurisdictions.

One agency that doesn't need convincing about the value of motorcycles to get around traffic is the NYPD.

While the Fire Department considers whether to accept the Harleys, the Police Department is preparing to spend nearly $1 million to buy a fleet of them.

[Guest]

See the attached photo. They used mopeds during the 1980 transit strike.

[Monty 35]

See the attached photo. They used mopeds during the 1980 transit strike.

Looks like something out of a Chevy Chase movie or something

Regarding the real topic at hand, my guess is that maybe they were scared. What if the 6 month trial turned out be a great success - then what??? Try and find money for it - more contract negotiations - more staffing. Maybe I'm just too much of a pessimist today .....

[tbendick 27]

I would have to agree that the issue would come down to money. There is a good chace that the trial would go good and then they would have to staff it. They have a shortage of medics as it is now.

[ltjay157 10]

Just my 2 cents but unlike Florida where it's pretty much warm year round, we have to deal with snow and ice. There was patches of ice on the ground when i left work Sunday morning.It's starting to get way too cold to be riding around on motorcycles. It would be a nice concept to have during the summer though. Also, riding a motorcycle lights & siren is much trickier if you're not an avid rider.

[JCESU 20]

What about the use of a Cushman (Hotdog cart) or Go-4? Would provide allot more room for equipment and user comfort.

[Oswegowind 17]

Seattle is doing a pilot program using motorcycles...London uses them...both have similar if not worse climates than NY...Taking on this program would show some signs of progression and seeing if it will help meet the need, to resist is ridiculous...you never know until you try!

[NJMedic 96]

What about the use of a Cushman (Hotdog cart) or Go-4? Would provide allot more room for equipment and user comfort.

NYC EMS did you Cushmans back in the '80's. Search around and you might find a picture on the web.

[NJMedic 96]

Seattle is doing a pilot program using motorcycles...London uses them...both have similar if not worse climates than NY...Taking on this program would show some signs of progression and seeing if it will help meet the need, to resist is ridiculous...you never know until you try!

Miami Dade has EMS motocycles as does Pittsburgh. Daytona Beach had or has a couple. Nantucket, MA I believe uses a Harley.

See....

http://emsresponder.com/article/article.js...p;siteSection=1

http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/ems/html/...al_events_.html

[Future Fireman 4]

Miami Dade has EMS motocycles as does Pittsburgh. Daytona Beach had or has a couple. Nantucket, MA I believe uses a Harley.

See....

http://emsresponder.com/article/article.js...p;siteSection=1

http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/ems/html/...al_events_.html

According to firenews.org, they have two motorcycles, and they're Kawasakis, not Harleys. I cannot back this up my own evidence since I've never been out to Nantucket.

Mike

[tbendick 27]

FDNY EMS did have cushmans in use for special events, I know they have been used with in the past few years. However they favor the gators over the use of the cushmans and seem to be getting rid of the cushmans and using them in other locations.

[ny10570 745]

The Cushmans are out. There are still a few kicking around but I haven't seen them used. The Gators can go more places and transport an immobilized pt. The biggest hurdle for the Harley program is the lack of available paramedics. There are about 80 medic students getting ready to graduate in November and they are expected to fill all of the vacancies in the system right now. The current schedule of medic programs is suppose to cover attrition and expected expansion. So for the time being there just isn't enough manpower to add something like the bike medics. At this point the city is better served adding more transporting units.