City of Ontario Bicycle Paramedic Program

The City of Ontario Fire Department implemented a Bicycle Assessment Team that can be deployed in high traffic or activity areas known to generate numerous calls for service for both pre-hospital emergency medical services and other types of emergencies.  With the opening of the Ontario Mills Mall in 1996, the Ontario Fire Department experienced a simultaneous increase in call volume.  Over a three year period, the Fire Department responded to the Mills Mall over 900 times - equal to the number of responses in a small city over the same period.  

A review of dispatch data revealed that the last two weeks in August, last week in November, and the month of December generated more calls than any other time during the year.  Response teams dispatched from the eight fire stations in Ontario encountered severe traffic congestion, resulting not only in delays in attending to the distressed individual, but increased heavy-duty vehicle emissions as well.

The Fire Department determined that the use of a pre-deployment force of one paramedic and one EMT on bicycles at the Mills Mall could reduce response times dramatically.  From an air quality perspective, the advance team could limit the response of fire engines and paramedic vehicles dispatched from local stations, reducing emissions associated with these vehicles.