Turkey's first bicycle ambulances were put into service on the islands of Büyükada and Heybeliada near Istanbul on Monday. Equipped with four bikes, a team will be on hand to intervene when incidents occur on the islands on weekends and holidays.
The bicycle ambulances are kitted with an emergency bag, oxygen tank and automatic external defibrillator. The team has prepared for all kinds of scenarios they may encounter, including saving people from drowning, treating those who have fallen from great heights and responding to patients experiencing acute coronary syndrome.
Bicycle ambulances will be in operation on weekends and holidays when the islands are especially busy.
Members of the team, who have all completed first aid training, will respond to emergency calls on bicycles.
If multiple emergency calls come in at once, the bicycle ambulance team will determine which patients need to prioritized according to triage principles. This way, patients in need of further treatment on the mainland will be transferred faster.
