Does your department have room for an ERB?

Protype ERB (Emergency Response Bicycle)... There has been so much discussion lately about how we respond to emergencies and how we need to include juniors and seniors with our responses... But we have a problem. One must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid drivers license to work as a an actual firefighter by state law, any state.

So why fight it. Why not pimp your bicycles to be emergency response bicycles. It's not an original concept. You can see fire bike's all over europe. To be honest, and I am not advocating an entire group of juniors or fire explorers responding to an incident on their bicycles but you need to picture this. How cool would it be to see 20 of these ERB's pedaling up to an incident.

And if you are >18, have a drivers license and have a few screws loose (motorcycles), then maybe this is an option?

Note: This photo sure makes me think of a certain Fire Chief we know and love who works in Oregon... :D

Live the dream! (but be safe doing so...)

TCSS, CBz

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on January 20, 2010 at 4:26am

Here, profit does not come into things at all where emergency medical help planing needs are set. All emergency response is by government owned and operated bodies. Are our services perfect? Not at all. I very much doubt that entire country anywhere is perfect.

Will our ambulance and fire services ever be combined? I don't know, I can't read the future. Have thoughts headed that way? Yes, and just as quickly stopped. Your system works for you, ours works for us and other parts of the world too, I think.

Whether it's a view held by anyone on the Nation, I couldn't know. But writings I've seen at times that a person can improve his/her chances of becoming a firefighter by first becoming a paramedic and then being promoted to firefighter? Back to front for us. Here, a paramedic is far more highly trained and qualified than a firefighter - as I said earlier, three years full time university for a paramedic degree with a further year for on-the-road clinical training. Compare that to three months at school and then nine months on the job to be a career firefighter?

Our ambulance services aren't free, they have to be paid for just like yours. I pay $60 per year to ensure that I will never have to pay for any emergency service, whether ground, rotary or fixed wing aircraft - cheap insurance I think. MVA's are totally covered by a percentage of motor vehicle yearly registration fees (tax). This coverage is nationwide, what I pay here covers me in all other states.

Please CBz, your last paragraph was somewhat condescending. We are fortunate enough to not be a 3rd world country, we also have 'amazing medicine'. We are also one of many places in the world that don't think that things must to be done 'the American way' to be done well. I acknowledge that things can be done well in your country, can you not give others the same courtesy?