MISSOULA — Missoula's Maclay Bridge closed indefinitely last week causing a disconnect for traffic through a major neighborhood — Target Range.
While this impacts those who commute, it also affects ambulance services who now have to take alternative routes and in an emergency, every second matters.
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“Seconds count. The cardiac arrest patients — you really want to try to get those patients early CPR and defibrillation within 3 to five minutes. As well as trauma. I mean those patients really need to get to the operating room," Missoula Emergency Services Inc. (MESI) manager Don Whalen told MTN News.
MESI always wants to get to their patient and transport them to the hospital as fast as possible. However, the recent closure of the Maclay Bridge will “definitely increase our response times,” Whalen shared.
The bridge is a single-lane span that connects North Avenue West with the east end of River Pines Road.
Four ambulances launch from a central part of Missoula on Burlington Avenue while an additional MESI ambulance responds to calls from Palmer Street.
The bridge's closure means a longer alternative route for emergency services.
“Instead of running out South Avenue with a lot less traffic lights, we’ll be running down Brooks Street to Blue Mountain Road and then coming around the back side,” Whalen detailed.
Due to time challenges, it's more important than ever to be aware of ambulances. Whalen stated, “Pull over to the right, be safe, and let us get by.”
We’ll keep you updated with any developments on the Maclay Bridge.
