The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation strengthens emergency preparedness during the Arctic Race of Norway
August 3 rd 2021 - 12:02
The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation strengthens emergency preparedness during the Arctic Race of Norway
With one car manned with a medical doctor and two additional ambulances, the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will strengthen the emergency preparedness during Arctic Race of Norway, which this year will take place on 5-8 August in the areas around Tromsø and Harstad.
- Arctic Race of Norway is a folk festival. It is important that the event is as safe as possible for the cyclists participating in the race, employees, volunteers and the public. The emergency preparedness we have been asked to provide is in addition to the usual emergency preparedness that the public health service offers. We have agreed to help ensure that help is in place immediately if someone is injured or becomes ill during the race, in a way that will not burden the normal emergency preparedness, says Secretary General Hans Morten Lossius of the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, which has been a medical partner for the race since 2019.
This year's edition of Arctic Race of Norway departs from Tromsø and will visit both Finland and Senja before ending up in Harstad. In addition to the 120 cyclists, 250 employees and 7-800 volunteers involved this year, the event tends to gather tens of thousands of spectators along the trail.
During the four-day competition, two ambulances and a medical car manned with an anesthesiologist from the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will follow the cyclists. The ambulance is an extra emergency vehicle at the Norwegian Armed Forces, which - in contrast to the state-funded ambulances at the medical helicopter bases - is financed by the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation. It will be staffed by an anesthetist and a paramedic / anesthesia nurse from the medical helicopter service. The two ambulances are hired from the University Hospital of Northern Norway and will be staffed with highly competent local ambulance personnel with valuable local knowledge.
General manager Knut-Eirik Dybdal in Arctic Race of Norway is happy to have the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation on the team:
- There are long distances in northern Norway, and through extra medical preparedness from the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, we make Arctic Race of Norway an even safer experience for cyclists, everyone involved in the event, and everyone who watches, says Dybdal.
The cyclists will cycle four stages through the municipalities of Tromsø, Balsfjord, Storfjord, Målselv, Sørreisa, Senja, Gratangen, Tjelsund, Kvæfjord and Harstad. The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation is looking forward to a good collaboration with the local health service in all the municipalities the race passes:
- We know that there is a good municipal health service, ambulance service and air ambulance in the area when needed. But we want to contribute extra so that people get the fastest possible health care where they are. Our goal is to bring the hospital out to the patients. As a non-profit organization, we do this together with the patients and residents in the area, says Hans Morten Lossius.
Arctic Race Ambassador Thor Hushovd hopes that the collaboration between Arctic Race of Norway and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will contribute to more people downloading the app Help 113 on the phone. It has been developed by the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation and notifies the emergency centers of exactly where the caller is. Thus, it can save vital time for the person who has been injured by the help arriving faster.
- We want to help as many people as possible to use the beautiful nature that surrounds us. Whether you are on foot or by bike, it is not always easy to know where you are and what to do when the accident is out. Both cyclists and hikers should therefore have this app. It can save lives, says Hushovd.
