Why Arizona firefighters are now heading out on electric bikes

It might sound counterintuitive since we often hear stories about fire departments being called out because of an e-bike. But firefighters in Scottsdale, Arizona, are now using e-bikes on emergency calls for a highly particular reason.

The Scottsdale Fire Department is often tasked with search-and-rescue of lost hikers in the area, and now they’re using electric bikes to help reach lost hikers more quickly, potentially saving lives when minutes matter.

The e-bikes, which appear to be Recon Stryker models designed specifically for police and security use.

“What we’re finding out is it’s taking off 45 minutes from our response time to making patient contact and stopping the clock,” says Scottsdale Fire Department Captain Dave Folio. “That’s huge for us becasue it’s safer for the hiker, and it’s safer for our crews.”

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The heavy-duty e-bikes include two motors for all-wheel drive, which is helpful on the rugged hiking trails they typically cover. The bikes are also mounted on carriers on the rear of ambulanaces, meaning they can be driven right up to a trailhead and then a first responder can continue down a rugged trail by e-bike to find the stricken hiker more quickly and beginning administering life-saving aid.

“We carry all the ALS (advanced life support) equipment on our backpacks. So we get there and we can start IVs, we can give meds, we can start the cooling process for treating heat stroke. So the e-bikes are pretty priceless to us right now.”

Folio attributes three lives already saved since the department received its new e-bikes, and another six e-bikes are now on the way.

Electrek’s Take

While this isn’t the most common way we see e-bikes used, it’s a great example of the many benefits of the technology off the beaten path, so to speak. I can’t imagine how much an official ambulance or fire rescue vehicle costs, but an e-bike must be a tiny, tiny fraction of that budget. And yet, it’s uniquely capable for arriving on scene faster.

Where I live, motorcycle-mounted EMTs have long been the very first of the first responders to arrive at an emergency scene in the city, but in the past few years I’ve actually seen electric bicycle EMTs rolling up first, as they’re sometimes even quicker. Cities are of course quite different than the rugged lanscapes these fire fighters are working with in Arizona, but many of the same principles around speed and agility still apply.

I just hope those batteries are UL-listed…