Suburban N.J. bike-pedaling EMTs is a great idea
By Times of Trenton Editorial Board , June 8, 2016
Where some might see a pile of junk and clutter, others might see a golden opportunity to use those discarded items in a new way. Christopher Polgar apparently is someone with that kind of entrepreneurial vision.
Polgar is the founder of MedCycle, a Hamilton-based firm that provides bike-pedaling EMTs who can bring first-aid services to places where ambulances can't readily reach.
Polgar said that his inspiration for this service evolved from his enjoyment of recreational mountain biking and his professional career as a certified emergency medical service provider.
When the all-volunteer Twin "W" First Aid Squad, where Polgar served as a former chief, closed in 2015 in West Windsor, he saw old mountain bikes and bike patrol equipment collecting dust in the corner of the squad's Everett Drive building.
For Polgar, it seemed a waste to just throw all this equipment away. That's when he had his Eureka moment.
Christopher Polgar founded MedCycle - a bike-based emergency medical service geared toward events where mobility and accessibility is crucial
"EMS is changing as medicine advances," Polgar told The Times. "We're at other stages now where paramedics are doing home care, and this could be another avenue."
Polgar didn't set out to reinvent the wheel. Using bike-mounted EMTs is fairly common in large urban areas where traffic congestion makes it hard for ambulances to get around.
But Polgar realized there could be a need for such a service in suburban towns, particularly at events with large crowds, where large emergency trucks would have difficulty reaching people in need of medical attention.
In addition, the bikes have the mobility to get through all different types of terrain in an environmentally friendly manner and can offer a quicker response time in certain situations, Polgar pointed out.
Part of being a successful entrepreneur is recognizing a need and the other part is figuring out how to meet that need.
Polgar is obviously familiar with the "need" part of the equation and now has put together the "action" part by assembling a team of nine EMTs and paramedics who have the physical ability to maneuver a mountain bike through various obstacles while carrying between 50 and 70 pounds of equipment.
Polgar says all of MedCycle's staff is seasoned, skilled and experienced in the medical field and fully trained and certified to be able to navigate through crowds, difficult terrains and stairs in order to provide free patient care.
It will take some luck and a lot of perseverance for MedCycle to succeed. We wish Polgar all the luck. The perseverance part is all up to him.