Mayor Jerry Sanders invited the city’s EMS team to Mission Bay Monday, June 26, to highlight safety measures for the impending Fourth of July weekend. It was the first in a series of talks about preparations for the estimated 1.4 million visitors expected to flood San Diego’s beaches between July 1 and 4.
To combat the challenges of emergency response in densely populated areas, Sanders said the city will employ bike teams from Grand Avenue south to the Mission Beach jetty, as in past years.
Throughout the weekend, four teams of two paramedics will carry life support, cardiac monitoring and trauma equipment on blue Specialized-brand mountain bikes, responding to hard-to-reach lifeguard and EMS calls.
Often the emergencies don’t have specific addresses, said paramedic and firefighter Rich Marcello, leaving bike responders to look for identifying landmarks on the beach. And while their mode of transportation is unique, bike teams handle the same types and range of calls as other paramedics.
“It’s actually a mixed bag,” Marcello said. “We could get anything from a possible drowning to intoxication.”
Bike teams were first implemented in 1996 during the Republican National Convention. Since then, they have been used in a variety of capacities to cut through crowds and stabilize an individual before an ambulance arrives.
According to paramedic Capt. Kyle Passini, the teams also help maintain a consistent level of service for residents who should not have to expect delays due to the holiday.
“By being strategically positioned in these areas, we can get to people quickly, and literally “” with what we do in many cases “” minutes make a significant difference on someone’s outcome,” Passini said of both beach and neighborhood emergencies.
Though bikes have their advantages, ambulances are the lynchpin of emergency response for the four-day weekend. San Diego Medical Services Enterprise (SDMSE), the city’s 911 provider, will supply up to four additional ambulances for the holiday, totaling more than 30 units.
“The residents of San Diego will be well protected and well served,” said agency spokesperson Michael Simonsen, stressing that inland areas will not be ignored.
Each ambulance will be staffed, as usual, with two paramedics and an emergency medical technician (EMT), though the posting plan for each unit will be adjusted as needed to best serve all communities, he added.
Local hospitals will also be impacted by the number of accidents and injuries over the weekend. According to Dr. Jim Dunford, city EMS director, emergency rooms typically see a 20 to 25 percent jump in number of patients.
He said the most common “” and preventable “” injuries during the July Fourth weekend result from severe sunburns, alcohol-related accidents on the road or the boardwalk, heat conditions, improperly disposed coals and fire ring burns, and unsafe travel to and from recreational destinations.
Dunford advised vacationers to protect themselves from heat and sun, especially if medications increase an individual’s likelihood of side effects; reduce alcohol consumption and use public transportation in lieu of driving; heed speed limits; dump hot coals in fire rings and never in the sand; and never leave a child unattended in a hot car.
The mayor’s office also offered their own list of recommendations for dealing with the sun, heat and holiday fireworks:
– Drink six to eight glasses of water “” alcohol does not count
– Wear clothing, sunscreen and hats to prevent serious burns for extended sun exposure
– Do not let children play with fireworks (even sparklers), do not set them off in glass or metal containers, and don’t attempt to relight or handle them if they malfunction
– Leave the pyrotechnics to professionals for the safest enjoyment