by Roxanne Schorbach, Public Information Officer, Red Cross First Aid Stations
As the sun came up over Colorado Blvd. on New Year’s Day 2016, the people who stayed overnight on the curbs and sidewalks of the Tournament of Roses Parade route were beginning to wake up, new arrivals started to pour in, and joggers were out for their first run of the New Year.
Around 5:30 a.m., as parade participants started assembling, a woman was struck by a car about 200 feet west of Sierra Madre and Colorado Boulevards, right near where our Station 9 team was assembling one of our 12 Red Cross First Aid Stations. Red Cross volunteers responded immediately, providing first aid until the paramedics arrived and transported the woman to a local hospital. This was the first incident that we logged that morning.
Red Cross First Aid volunteers work under the supervision of the Pasadena Fire Department. In general, 90% of our contacts with the public are “treat and release,” meaning the paramedics aren’t called, which frees them up for the more advanced medical situations.
This year, we responded to 43 incidents along the parade route, with 13 referrals to the paramedics. There were a variety of situations: headaches, nose bleeds, a couple of twisted ankles, and as the day wore on a few people became dehydrated, and, of course there were lots of blisters on the heals of band members by the time they reached the end of the 5.5 mile parade route.
Thanks to the 200 Red Cross First Aiders who spent their New Year’s Day ensuring that parade viewers had a healthy start to their new year.
Click here to see more parade photos.
(photos by Roxanne Schorbach)
BRAVA ROXY!!