MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin EMS is gearing up for a busy week.
“We’re expecting some long days with our crews,” Hennepin EMS Battalion Chief Mike Trullinger says.
Monday morning crews were already seeing an increased number of calls.
“We had 10 fall calls on the board at one time this morning,” Trullinger says.
“That’s 10 calls in about one hour.”
By 2:30 p.m. Trullinger says Hennepin EMS had received 52 calls for slips and falls on the ice.
"It's slippery out there. We have snow on top of ice, on top of snow out there,” Trullinger says.
It’s also a safety concern for paramedics and EMT’s who have to work in these icy conditions.
"We've had a couple of staff members slip and fall on the ice. Thankfully for the most part they're okay,” Trullinger says.
EMS crews are also expecting to see more car accidents this week and an increased number of cardiac events with residents shoveling heavy snow.
Trullinger says these issues are typical during the cold winter months, but this winter has been especially difficult for paramedics and EMT’s.
“Just getting around has been a challenge,” Trullinger explains.
“Navigating these narrow streets and stuff with the snowbanks being very high in some places yeah, it’s that a new experience for some of our folks.”
Those snowbanks are slightly shorter these days after the warm temps last week melted some of the snow and ice.
Trullinger says the city’s decision to move to one-sided parking is also helping, because it has freed up more room for their ambulances to get through.
But more snow is coming our way, so emergency responders are asking property owners to help them out.
"Try to keep up on the snow, try to keep the sidewalk sanded and salted if you can. Just make it safe for us to get you out of your home if we ever need to.”