Hamilton will soon see paramedics on bikes

Hamilton paramedics will have a new tool next year in their quest to keep citizens safe and healthy.

The city's paramedic service plans to unveil a new bike unit by the spring thanks to a $20,700 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada.

The paramedic bike unit will be able to provide rapid response in areas of the city that are difficult to reach, such as wooded areas and trails. The greatest need for the unit, however, will likely be at larger community events where congestion and crowds can make it difficult for vehicles to manoeuvre.

According to the paramedic service, there were 56 events in Hamilton in 2018 and 2019 that attracted crowds of more than 5,000 people.

Due to their agility, bike medics can more quickly access individuals in distress and begin providing emergency care until an emergency vehicle arrives," the paramedic service said in a statement.

The equipment carried by bike paramedics will also be more nimble.

Smaller cardiac monitors and defibrillators, smaller oxygen tanks and other modifications to both the size and quantity of items that will make the bike as light and manoeuverable as possible, while still providing paramedics all the tools they need to treat immediate threats," said David Thompson, spokesperson for the Hamilton Paramedic Service.

Thompson said it's not yet known how many paramedics or bike units will be established with the new venture. A typical unit would deploy four to six bikes, he said, depending on the size of the event and the area to be covered.

The Firehouse Subs' grant will be used to assist with initial equipment costs and to get the bikes outfitted for use as an emergency medical response tool.

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada is a registered charity created by the restaurant chain in 2015 to provide funding and life-saving equipment to first responder organization. Since its inception, the charity has handed out more than $1.2 million in grants.

Last year, the Hamilton Paramedic Service responded to more than 70,000 emergency calls, an average of nearly 200 per day.

Steve Buist is a Hamilton-based investigative reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbuist@thespec.com