Bike Medic Team
Annual Report for 2006-2007
The 2006 season was the most successful for the bike medic team yet. Grant money was awarded to the bike medic team through the Franklin Memorial Hospital Education Department to hold a three day bicycle safety and education course. The IPMBA (International Police and Mountain Bike Association) course was held from April 24th through the 26th and was a great success. Eight NorthStar bike medics received certifications as EMS Bicycle Medics and gained a wealth of knowledge in public relations, bicycle safety education, minor bicycle maintenance, bicycle laws, proper nutrition, and communication.
Six NorthStar Bike Medics are now "Bicycle Safety Teacher" trained and certified. The course was held at the University of Maine at Farmington. This course was taught by staff of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Three medics attended last year's course and three attended this year. The training consisted of how to instruct children in proper helmet fitting, bicycle familiarization, bicycle laws, and safe riding techniques. All certified bike medics agreed to have their name and contact information placed on a list with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. When a school contacts the coalition for a bicycle safety course, the coalition in turn makes contact with individuals from the list to instruct the course.
In May, the bike medic team was requested to teach bicycle safety at an after-school bicycle club. The club was held at the Jay Middle School and consisted of approximately fifteen students. The six week program was the first of its kind to be led by the NorthStar Bike Medic Team. The students and three chaperones were taught curriculum provided by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. The instruction was followed each day with either a trail ride or a road ride putting the lessons into practice. As a result of this club, great report was built between the students and bike medics. The students also learned some great tools that may some day save their lives. Just recently the Jay Middle School Bike Club and NorthStar were featured in the official news letter of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine for the tremendous success of the after-school bike club.
The month of May proved to be a busy one for the bike medic team. We were requested to teach bicycle safety to 3 and 4 year-olds at the Farmington Head Start on May 12th. We returned to teach 3 to 5 year olds on May 24th. Helmets were provided to both sets of students as well as stickers, magnets, and other handouts. The Sugarloaf Marathon was held on May 21st and four bike medics were on hand to provide medical coverage at that event.
Four bike medics participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life fund raiser at Mount Blue High School on June 2nd. The following day we were at the Wausau Paper Mill in Jay to provide instruction at a safety seminar. Many of the mill's employees purchased bicycle helmets provided by the Healthy Community Coalition.
On July 3rd the bike medic team was invited to provide medical coverage at the Rangeley fireworks. Four bike medics attended the day's events. The quick response of the bike medics through the large crowd to get to a burn victim highlighted the importance of medics on bikes. The individual who was burned by the fireworks was attended to very quickly and efficiently. Ambulance response through the crowd was not an option due to the large number of people attending the fireworks show.
Medical coverage was provided by the bike medic team on July 18th at a benefit road race for cancer patient Adam Deveau. The bike team members also made a contribution to the Deveau family to help offset the costs of medical treatment for Adam. Bike medic coverage took place at another road race at the Farmington Strawberry Festival on July 29th.
The Wilton Blueberry Festival was held on August 4th and 5th. Bike medics were on hand to provide medical coverage at the children's one mile and adult 10-K road race on Friday. The following day four bike medics covered the parade and fireworks. An unfortunate incident occurred at the fireworks show when a firework was hurled into the crowd. An explosion of green fire could be seen by onlookers as the firework detonated. NorthStar Bike Medics and other NorthStar EMT's were on scene immediately to treat the burn patients. Phillips Old Home Days rounded out the month of August for the bike medic team as two bike medics covered the day's events on August 19th.
The mission of the NorthStar Bike Medic Team took on a new and challenging opportunity on September 3rd. Our newly polished mountain bikes were covered with mud as we entered the woods on Saddleback Mountain to cover a mountain bike race in Dallas Plantation. The course was a dangerous one as it wound through the trees and over rocks and stumps. We traveled up hills and down through ravines on this mission. The racers thanked us and invited us back next year. Many racers stated that this was the first time they actually saw medical staff actually enter the woods to provide medical coverage.
Farmington Fair week ran September 17th through the 23rd. The bike medic team covered multiple events at the fair to include Agricultural Day, and Bracelet Day. The team also provided medical coverage during the busiest days of the fair on Friday and Saturday.
On September 30th the bike medic team worked its last event for the 2006 year. Four bike medics set up a bicycle rodeo at the Livermore Falls Apple Pumpkin Festival. Many children enjoyed decorating their bicycle helmet with help from NorthStar staff. Many more braved the bicycle safety course dodging cones and other obstacles.
In September the bike team learned that it would be receiving grant money from the Maine Community Foundation. This money was allowed for the purchase of bright, reflective jackets, vests, and helmets to be issued to needy children in our communities. The team as well as our communities are very fortunate to receive this money to create a safer environment for our children. We feel very privileged to be a part of that.
The bike medic team was also very fortunate this year to acquire seven "Kona Fire Mountain" mountain bikes. We also purchased a utility trailer to haul the bikes and other equipment to events that we cover. This new equipment will allow the NorthStar Bike Medic Team to grow to new heights. In 2007 we plan to honor our fallen EMS heroes who died in the line of duty by riding from New York City to the EMS Memorial in Roanoke, Virginia. We also plan to increase the number of events covered and bicycle safety courses that we taught in 2006, as well as increasing our current roster of bike medics.
