{"id":26235,"date":"2013-12-10T16:46:35","date_gmt":"2013-12-10T14:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/2013\/12\/cycle-tour-in-good-health\/"},"modified":"2013-12-10T16:46:35","modified_gmt":"2013-12-10T14:46:35","slug":"cycle-tour-in-good-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/cycle-tour-in-good-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycle tour in good health"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/p>\n

Organisers of the 29th edition of The Herald<\/a> VW Cycle Tour are leaving nothing to chance when it comes to the safety of participants on February 1 and 2.<\/p>\n

Gardmed private ambulance service will once again do duty on the streets of Port Elizabeth<\/a> and on the mountain bike trails at Addo<\/a>, while the trauma unit staff at Life St George\u2019s Hospital will also be on standby to deal with any emergency situation.<\/p>\n

According to race director Julie Briggs, organisers would also be setting up a joint operations centre at both the road and mountain bike events, which would be the first point of contact in case of a crisis.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough we are not anticipating any problems, good communication is essential when emergencies arise,\u201d said Briggs.<\/p>\n

She said the PE Amateur Radio Society would handle the radio communications and also head up the control centre.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir dedicated team members will be stationed at strategic points along the routes, which enables us to keep in constant communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been working on the mountain bike side for two years now, so we\u2019re confident that they\u2019ll do an excellent job and that our riders are in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Briggs said emergency contact details would be printed on all participants\u2019 race numbers so that they could contact the joint operations centre should they need to.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe emergency services personnel are thoroughly briefed beforehand and work hand in hand with Life St George\u2019s. They\u2019ll be in communication should a participant need to be transported to hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n

Life St George\u2019s offers a 24-hour level-one emergency unit, with helicopter landing pad, which equipped it to handle any form of medical or surgical emergency.<\/p>\n

The hospital\u2019s new cardiac centre will also be on alert in case of any cardiac-related emergencies.<\/p>\n

Hospital manager Andr\u00e9 Bothma said the cardiac centre was fully supported by leading specialists and highly trained personnel within the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis puts us in an excellent position to offer top-class emergency cardiac treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hospital\u2019s trauma-trained nursing staff will also man the medical tents at both the Addo Polo Club and Hobie Beach race villages.<\/p>\n

Gardmed will cover the off-road trails in 4\u00d74 ambulances and on quad bikes, with standard emergency vehicles on the streets of Port Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

Rolling road closures will be in effect during the Powerade family races on the Saturday, as well as the 106km Classic and 55km Pursuit on the Sunday.<\/p>\n

Traffic officers will be on duty at particularly high-risk areas, with marshals directing motorists at all other intersections.<\/p>\n

Gardmed operations manager and senior paramedic Craig Schwartz said motorists needed to be more aware of cyclists on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do treat cases where cyclists have been knocked down in training, especially in the Seaview and Marine Drive areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schwartz said he could not recollect any serious incidents in his company\u2019s 11-year relationship with the event and said that they were more likely to treat minor scrapes, grazes and fractures resulting from falls, as well as dehydration.<\/p>\n

He advised riders to take full advantage of all the waterpoints en route.<\/p>\n

\"Craig<\/a><\/p>\n

Gardmed and Life St George\u2019s Hospital will once again be the official medical partners of The Herald VW Cycle Tour, which takes place in Port Elizabeth and Addo on February 1 and 2. Gardmed senior paramedic Craig Schwartz will be among those on standby to assist participants in the road and mountain bike events. Photo: Brian Witbooi<\/p>\n

The following two tabs change content below.<\/span><\/p>\n