Safety is a top priority at The Herald Cycle Tour
Cyclists can be sure to receive the best emergency and medical care from The Herald Cycle Tour’s official medical sponsors, Relay EMS. Entries close soon – at midday on Monday, 5 February. Don’t miss out. Enter here: www.heraldcycletour.co.za
Participants will enjoy the best emergency medical care at the upcoming The Herald Cycle Tour with Relay Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as an official service partner.
The experienced Eastern Cape private ambulance service has been partnering with The Herald Cycle Tour since 2020.
The Herald Cycle Tour 2024, hosted by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, takes place over two weekends with mountain bike races at the Addo Polo Club on February 11, and road races at Pollok Beach on February 17 and 18.
Relay EMS Events Co-Ordinator Julia Brits said the company is proud to again be of service to this iconic cycling event.
“We know that everyone puts in many hours of training for The Herald Cycle Tour and that the excitement is building up for race day. Our primary role on race day is to provide emergency medical support to the cyclists, spectators, staff, and volunteers working at the event. For the races to be successful, our planning starts weeks ahead of time,” said Brits.
Planning involves driving the routes to identify potential high-risk areas, testing of communication systems and regular team meetings where the event plan is explained, as well as the roles and duties of each person.
On race day Relay EMS will provide a fully equipped medical centre at the finish line, ambulances for the lead men's and ladies’ races, ambulances at strategic points along the route, response vehicles, and motorbikes on the route.
Medical personnel will also be stationed at the finish line, and a sweeper ambulance will ensure that no cyclists are left on the routes. All of these resources will be coordinated from the Venue Operations Centre (VOC).
The VOC is set up to allow us to live track all our vehicles along the course, and our extensive digital private radio network will enable us to communicate directly with our crews.
Any incidents along the route are communicated to the VOC; the VOC will then allocate the closest resource to the incident, ensuring we respond as quickly as possible,” said Brits.
In addition, Relay EMS will also have water points at both the Mountain and Road Race events to ensure that cyclists stay hydrated.
“Ensuring the safety and care of all cyclists is our top priority, and our medical team is prepared for any medical situation.”
In 2020, at The Herald Cycle Tour road race event, Relay EMS supported a cyclist who suffered cardiac arrest during the race.
“Our VOC dispatched our Advanced Life Support Bike Medic to the scene. Upon arrival, we immediately began with CPR and early defibrillation; our ambulance then arrived on the scene. The patient was stabilised and transported to the hospital, where the patient fully recovered. The quick intervention, effective communication, and qualified staff with the right equipment saved the person's life,” said Brits.
Relay EMS was established in 2012 and has extensive experience providing emergency medical staff and equipment for various events.
“There is nothing worse than not feeling well or knowing that you are not well, and you then must make that difficult decision of should I or shouldn’t I cycle today. Leading up to race day, Relay EMS will provide some wellness and safety tips to the cyclists. Keep an eye on our social media pages,” said Brits.
Entries for The Herald Cycle Tour close at midday on February 5.
Enter online at www.heraldcycletour.co.za.
For more information, contact cycletour@theherald.co.za.