From today’s press release:
MEDSTAR SUSPENDS LIGHTS-AND-SIREN RESPONSES DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER
Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — February 1, 2011 – Due to dangerous road conditions in Fort Worth and surrounding areas, MedStar has temporarily suspended lights-and-sirens responses out of concern for crew and public safety. Officials will continually monitor roadways to determine when it is safe to resume such responses.
Historically, MedStar sees a dramatic rise in the number of emergency calls during icy weather, particularly motor vehicle collisions and falls. In order to address this increase, additional staff have been called in and a contingency plan has been implemented to maintain staff on-site or nearby to help facilitate operations.
Calls to 9-1-1 are prioritized to address the most life-threatening needs first. During a situation like today’s ice storm, the same system is used, however wait times for non-emergency calls may be extended due to hazardous road conditions and the increased number of calls.
MedStar is dedicated to meeting the emergency medical needs of the communities we serve, even when the weather turns bad. MedStar joins with the city to urge residents to stay off the roads, if possible until conditions improve.
Dallas weather:
A frigid blast of Arctic air blitzed North Texas on Tuesday with freezing rain, snow and blustery winds.
Icy conditions closed Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport and area schools.
Tonight:
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Hard freeze warning in effect until 10 am CST Wednesday…
Wind Chill Advisory in effect until 10 am CST Wednesday…
Tonight
Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Breezy. Lows around 10. Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph shifting to the north 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Wind gusts up to 35 mph are possible. Wind chill readings as low as 4 below to 9 below zero.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Highs in the lower 20s. North winds 15 to 20 mph. Wind chill readings as low as 3 below to 8 below zero.
Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills. Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors and is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.
Mike “FrigidMedic” Ward
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