Bike medics slash response time
2012-07-18 07:21
FLYING FIVE: Meet Netcare 911's super-fast medical response team - soon to be seen on a road near you.
Johannesburg - A five-strong paramedic motorcycle unit has been launched in Johannesburg and the concept will soon be expanded to the Western Cape and kwaZulu-Natal.
It was tried out as a single motorcycle unit in Johannesburg towards the end of 2011.
FASTER RESPONSES
Netcare 911 managing director Tumi Nkosi said: "During this pilot phase we found the MRU invaluable in time-critical cases such as stroke, heart attack or drowning."
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The motorcycles achieved faster response times - almost cutting by half the time lapse between emergency call and reaching the patient - and even faster during heavy road-traffic times.
Five paramedics will serve greater Johannesburg and Pretoria.