LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Fire Department has added a fleet of electric motorcycles to support EMS and rescue operations, aiming to help crews access rugged and hard-to-reach mountainous terrain more quickly.
Google and YouTube donated 30 electric motorcycles to the Los Angeles and Arcadia fire departments, with company executive Adam Stewart saying at a news conference on April 1 that the vehicles are to help firefighters carry out critical work more effectively, CBS Los Angeles reported.
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“When access is limited, timing is critical,” LAFD Chief Jamie Moore said, referring to rough terrain or traffic congestion. “In our line of work, time is not just important, it’s everything.”
On its YouTube video, the department said the Electric Motorcycle Response Program will allow EMTs and paramedics to identify hazardous conditions, and locate, treat and coordinate transport for people who are injured or stranded. The bikes can navigate traffic, crowds and hard-to-reach areas, allowing responders to deliver critical care and real-time intelligence when seconds matter.
Moore said the bikes are not patrol vehicles but mobile medical units assigned to the department’s disaster response section and fully integrated into its dispatch and command system.
Would your department use electric motorcycles for response? Where do you see them making the biggest difference (wildland, EMS, special events), and what concerns would you have?
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