New York, NY May 17th, 2015 – In celebration of both National Bike Month and National EMS Week, the CPMU Bicycle Emergency Bicycle Team (BERT) conducted a joint patrol with the Dutch Red Cross First Aid Bike Team on May 16, 2015 in Central Park. Members of the Dutch Red Cross will participate in the Campagnolo Gran Fondo New York cycling event on May 17, 2015. The CPMU BERT team took this opportunity to share best practices, explain the operations of the unit and the geography of Central Park.

Representing CPMU was EMT Jonathan Ehrlich and EMT Adam Fried. From the Dutch Red Cross was national Bicycle Team Coordinator for the Netherlands, Beach Post Scheveningen Coordinator and Bike4Bike Red Cross Netherlands Gran Fondo New York Team leader Jeroen Veenestra.

The CPMU BERT team is a rapid-response bicycle EMS unit composed of two EMTs on bicycles that are able to deliver rapid lifesaving emergency medical services in New York City’s famous Central Park. CPMU’s Bike EMS teams enable EMTs to quickly reach patients who may be located in an area not accessible by a vehicle. Bikes are also used during special events, quickly getting emergency medical care to patients in need. EMS Bikes are equipped with a basic trauma bag, oxygen, and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). As Bike EMS teams respond to requests for assistance, a CPMU ambulance is also dispatched so that the patient may be transported to the hospital, if necessary.

The Red Cross First Aid Bike Response Team (Nederlandse Rode Kruis Bike-Platform) is a nationwide program run by the Dutch Red Cross supporting bicycle based first aid teams for special events in the Netherlands.