COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus police and fire departments hosted a "Bike with a Medic" event at Barack Community Center Saturday morning.
Felecia Jackson, a firefighter with the Columbus Division of Fire, said her organization planned the event to foster community engagement and spark some fun.
"We want the community to feel as if they can approach us. A lot of times when you're in the truck, kids will approach us, but not necessarily adults," she said.
And with the community pedaling on Saturday for public safety, Jackson said bike medics are making emergency care more accessible.
"If you're at an event and you're hurt, you want somebody to be able to get to you quickly," she added.
Every day, fire and EMS teams deal with routine response issues. The challenge is providing rapid response during big events. Bike medics have become the answer to those challenges.
"We are able to respond quickly through crowds," said firefighter Jeff Langley. "We can do CPR, we have an AED, we can do everything that a medic can do from a bicycle."
Those who attended the event participated in a guided bike ride led by Columbus Fire Bike Medics and the Columbus Police Bike Team. Participants learned valuable tips on safe riding practices and equipment maintenance, and received information on resources provided by the City of Columbus.