Ambulance with child patient headed to DC hospital surrounded & blocked by ATVs & dirt bikes
Here is the email referenced in the story below that was sent out by the DC Department of Health on Monday:
From: Watchofficer, DOH (DOH)
Date: Monday, April 4, 2016
Subject: F-Y-I: EMS Transport Hindered by Dirt Bikes
To:Incident Description
A commercial ambulance provider reports they recently encountered a group of 20-30 dirt bikes at the intersection of North Capitol Street and Michigan Avenue, in the vicinity of the Children’s National Medical Center.
The agency reported that the motorcycles and ATVs boxed in the ambulance and forced it to a stop. The ambulance was transporting a NICU patient at the time. One subject on a motorcycle is reported to have opened the driver’s side door of the ambulance and accused the operator of ‘cutting off’ the biker group. The ambulance operator was able to subsequently close and lock their door. The bikers reportedly refused to allow the ambulance to move, even when the operator activated lights and siren. There was no report of any weapons displayed.
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The ambulance crew notified the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) via 9-1-1. When MPD arrived on scene the biker group sped off, allowing the ambulance to complete the transport. The patient suffered no untoward effects due to the delayed transport, and no crew members were hurt as a result of the encounter.
Recommended Actions
It is recommended that all EMS agencies review their policies and procedures to determine if an incident of this nature is addressed. EMS agencies should let their personnel be aware of this incident, and discuss how they would handle this situation. Healthcare facilities should review this incident with their staff and security personnel, and discuss how it may impact operations at their facility.
On Thursday, law enforcement leaders are expected to announce a yearlong investigation into illegal dirt bikes and ATVs on area roads.
All of this comes after a D.C. police officer was hit and dragged by an ATV over the weekend and an ambulance on its way to Children’s National Medical Center was forced to stop by a group of riders near the hospital.
According to the police report, the officer sustained an injury to his right leg that incident. The officer is expected to be okay as he only suffered a minor injury. The ATV was recovered in Prince George’s County.
At North Capitol Street and Michigan Avenue, an ambulance was boxed in and forced to stop. It couldn’t move even as the ambulance had lights and sirens activated, according to an email from the D.C. Department of Health obtained by FOX 5.
In New York City, authorities have already confiscated more than 300 illegal bikes and want residents to tell them where illegal bikes are stored. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on live television that they would crush the seized bikes.
The question now is — will Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier take such an aggressive approach? We asked the mayor and chief for details about their plan of action and both refused to comment, saying they will release the details on Thursday.
On Thursday, numerous agencies such as Prince George’s County police, Virginia State Police and Maryland State Police and the D.C. attorney general are expected to attend the press conference to discuss the ATV and dirt bike problems on area roadways.
