How do our local emergency service providers respond to medical situations within Joshua Tree National Park?
Morongo Basin Ambulance Operations Chief Craig Bell discussed exactly that on last week’s Z107.7 Up Close Show with host Gary Daigneault.
“That’s one of the things that I love about this job, you’re getting a call in the park, and you’re getting some exercise in. You’re going in and taking care of the patient. It changes up the day a little bit. You go in, get to help somebody, and if it’s a good day, its a nice beautiful hike as a bonus.”
Daigneault asked about the nature of the collaboration between the federal park agency and the local ambulance service. Bell said:
“We work well together with the park organization. Say there’s an emergency, they’ll activate their rangers, and they’ll request us. We work well with their team, because their team is really top notch. And they have great equipment that can help us extricate the patients out of the park as part of technical rescues.
“And there are more of those than you think, because people like bouldering and deep hiking, where it’s not particularly on the trail.”
You can hear their full conversation here:
The Z107.7 Up Close Show airs every Friday at 10 a.m
