That system is now being put into place and you will begin seeing emergency location medallions at regular intervals along the River Trail, at mountain bike trail heads and within the adjacent park system trails.
I've witness EMT's searching for the site of a bike crash or medical emergency. The lack of a precise location often leads to delays or long unnecessary treks afoot by emergency responders. A lot of thought and hard work went into the development of the plan, and I think that it will help make the River Trail a safer place.
Here is the press release from Judy Watts of Metroplan:
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – September 3, 2014 –
The Arkansas River Trail Task Force is pleased to announce the addition of
trail signage that improves efficiency for emergency responders dispatched to
the trail. Emergency medallions are in the process of being placed at trailhead
access points and along the main trail every two-tenths of a mile. Trail users
will soon be able to relay information from the nearest emergency medallion to
plainly communicate an exact location to 911 operators.
Emergency
medallions can be identified by “911 Emergency Location” and either “Arkansas
River Trail” or the name of the trail printed on the disc. Within the center of
the medallion is a set of initials and numbers. For emergencies on the Arkansas
River Trail, the public is asked to dial 911 and communicate the set of
initials and numbers. Coded to latitude and longitude coordinates, this crucial
piece of information will determine how emergency responders enter the
location.
“While
we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable experience visiting our wonderful
Arkansas River Trail System, accidents and medical emergencies will happen and
our emergency responders take their responsibility for you very seriously. You
can help them help you if you take note of the medallions as you make your way
along the trails,” advised Jon Swanson, Executive Director of Metropolitan
Emergency Medical Services (MEMS).
Emergency
medallions were made possible by the cities of Little Rock and North Little
Rock, Pulaski County, and Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Over 100 medallions
will be installed along the Arkansas River Trail loop in Little Rock, North
Little Rock, and Pulaski County. Other trails are expected to participate in
the emergency medallion program in the future. This is a continued effort to
enhance the Arkansas River Trail System. In 2013 a grant from the National Park
Service for the Challenge Cost Share Program that supports collaborative and
mutually beneficial partnership projects funded the Arkansas River Trail
way-finding signs that were installed. The grant is being administered through
Metroplan.
The
Arkansas River Trail System began as a 14-mile loop between Little Rock and
North Little Rock, transecting and connecting the riverfront parks of both
cities. It has become the catalyst for the development of bicycling, walking,
and running trails in the entire metropolitan area, traveling west on both
sides of the Arkansas River to Pinnacle Mountain State Park over the Two Rivers
Park Bridge. Led by the Arkansas River Trail Task Force and coordinated by
Metroplan, a June 1, 2012 “Memorandum of Understanding” established the
Arkansas River Trail System to be extended 88 miles across multiple cities and
counties. The signatories to that MOU are the cities of Little Rock, North
Little Rock, Maumelle, Mayflower, Conway and Bigelow, Pulaski County, Faulkner
County, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The
signatories to the MOU own different segments of the Arkansas River Trail and
work together through the Arkansas River Trail Task Force to operate and
promote the trail system.
Metroplan
is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the
four-county region of Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline counties. It is a
voluntary association of local governments that has operated since 1955.
###
Posts
2 comments:
This will be a great addition to the trail. So many people use it that aren't regulars it will help them in case of emergency.
Even regular trail user who know exactly where they are have difficulty relating where they are to 911 operators. We all know where the bathrooms at Two Rivers or the wooden bridge at Burns Park are, but most folks would not have a clue.
Post a Comment