Norwich cycle paramedic

[wafflycat]

One of the cycling paramedics that can be seen round Norwich city centre these days. This lady has been doing it for about five years. What a great job to have!

 

[Maz]

That must be a cool job. Out and about on your bike, helping people.
I wonder if she delivers medicines and things like that, or just answers emergency calls...

 

[mr_cellophane]

I have seen plenty around The City, but never attending or even going fast to an emergency.

 

[Danny]

Nice pic - but you risk starting a "girls in uniform" thread.

 

[summerdays]

That looks a lot of pannier... hopefully they aren't too heavy.

 

[Will1985]

The only way to ride a bike in Chapelfield or Castle Mall! Interesting to see that she uses SPDs while the police all seem to use normal shoes.

Not much to go by, but is that pic taken from outside St Peter Mancroft?

 

[Arch]

It was a cycle paramedic who was first on the scene when my BF died. He was there in a minute or so, and some minutes before the ambulance. Although it was already too late, it was such a comfort to have someone there so quickly to 'take charge'. And I remember thinking, even then, bizarrely, 'oh, cool, a cycle paramedic, Tom would like that...'

Spooky. It would have been his birthday today.

 

[hulver]

There's a cycling paramedic in my local cycling group.

He was going to try and bring his work bike on an evening ride one night, which I'd have liked because I might have been able to keep up with him then!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppimedia/3229918956/

 

[alecstilleyedye]

…'oh, cool, a cycle paramedic, Tom would like that...'

Spooky. It would have been his birthday today.

i'm sure my wife would be thinking the same in the circumstances.

 

[Arch]

i'm sure my wife would be thinking the same in the circumstances.

Yeah, it's funny how things strike you, even in the most stressful of moments.

I've often thought, we have paramedics, and police, why not fire? Ok, I don't mean a guy with a bucket of water dangling from each handlebar, and a ladder on his rack, but a fast responce person, someone who can get there quickly (esp in city centres), assess the situation, and make sure the right equipment/crews are on the way (or stand down the engine if not needed, like the paramedics do - that being one of their main benefits). If paramedics can carry defriblulators and oxygen, a fireman could carry an extinguisher and a fire blanket...

 

[hulver]

Ok, I don't mean a guy with a bucket of water dangling from each handlebar, and a ladder on his rack

Sounds like my window cleaner

, but a fast responce person, someone who can get there quickly (esp in city centres), assess the situation, and make sure the right equipment/crews are on the way (or stand down the engine if not needed, like the paramedics do - that being one of their main benefits). If paramedics can carry defriblulators and oxygen, a fireman could carry an extinguisher and a fire blanket...

I don't think fire crews get called out to fires very often. Normally road accidents. I don't think they get called out to fires enough to justify a roaming fire bike person.

 

[Arch]

I don't think fire crews get called out to fires very often. Normally road accidents. I don't think they get called out to fires enough to justify a roaming fire bike person.

But in any urban situation, whether it involves fire or not, there's a speed advantage to being on a bike (esp as opposed to a fire engine), and having a professional on the scene to start dealing with stuff and directing operations has to be worth it... I suppose you might say the police could do it, but someone with specialist training could do more...

 

[hulver]

But in any urban situation, whether it involves fire or not, there's a speed advantage to being on a bike (esp as opposed to a fire engine), and having a professional on the scene to start dealing with stuff and directing operations has to be worth it... I suppose you might say the police could do it, but someone with specialist training could do more...

Possibly. Just going off my own experience though, I don't remember ever seeing a fire engine in the city center. Plenty of Paramedics and Police. Once you get outside the city center the bike advantage disappears.

 

[TWBNK]

Not a bicycle but Merseyside Fire have a motorcycle response for the city centre.

 

[Arch]

Not a bicycle but Merseyside Fire have a motorcycle response for the city centre.

Ah, yes, that makes sense, a motorbike for the wider spread of area...