Ambulance Crews Face Obstacles Beyond Roadways: Damage Often Occurs in parking Areas
Vilnius, Lithuania – Emergency medical personnel in Lithuania are increasingly reporting damage to their vehicles, not from traffic incidents en route to calls, but from collisions adn obstructions within the yards and parking areas of buildings and event venues. the issue resurfaced following an incident at a recent basketball match were an ambulance responding to an injury to a player from the Vilnius team experienced delays reaching the injured athlete due to parked cars blocking access to the arena.
The delays in reaching the injured player,reportedly arriving at the hospital only after the match concluded despite a third-quarter injury around 9 p.m., prompted comments from Vilnius team coach Giedrius Žibėnas, who noted the difficulty in obtaining an ambulance and the late arrival time. While the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) confirmed their brigade arrived at the arena within four minutes of the call,they stated the ambulance itself couldn’t reach the entrance due to numerous parked vehicles,forcing paramedics to walk part of the distance. Arena staff eventually directed them to a service exit.
This incident highlights a broader,ongoing problem faced by emergency services. Doctors, firefighters, and other first responders have repeatedly voiced concerns about access difficulties when responding to emergencies.According to the EMS, the damage sustained to ambulances frequently occurs not during high-speed travel, but while maneuvering within congested parking areas or attempting to navigate tight spaces at incident locations. The frequency of these incidents raises concerns about response times and the potential for further delays in critical situations.
