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Medics On Bikes Can Save Lives In Big Crowds

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Aug 26, 2008 9:53 pm US/Mountain

Medics On Bikes Can Save Lives In Big Crowds

 Section: Democratic National Convention Section

Reporting
Dr. Dave Hnida
DENVER (CBS4) ― The crowded streets and sidewalks of downtown are making it hard for emergency medical teams to get around, but the remedy can be found on two wheels.

What happens if someone has a heart attack in the middle of giant crowd where an ambulance cannot get access? Paramedics from the city and county of Denver do the next best thing -- they pedal in.

Answering calls from twisted ankles to heart attacks, the rolling paramedics can defibrillate, intubate, or simply give a Tylenol. Their 50 pounds of gear includes IVs , mini oxygen tanks and even a portable EKG machine. Not to mention lights and sirens.

"The reason for tooling around on two wheels is simple," CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said. "These bikes can get places any other vehicle cant. These mobile medics have even been known to fly down flights of stairs to respond to an emergency."

About 18 paramedics are pumping the pedals every hour of the Democratic National Convention, but the convention isn't their first cycling event. They started back in 1991 and now cover every large event from baseball to Broncos to Obama. They are always hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.

They are fully trained paramedics who are not tops in their medical field but tops in cycling. They must pass a yearly training course, complete with obstacles, to qualify for the cycling team.

So far during the convention it's been fairly routine, treating patients with dehydration and some chest pain.

Additional Resources

• For complete coverage of the planning for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver, as well as information about how to volunteer and for a list of helpful links, visit the Democratic National Convention section.



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