EMSA Responds To Hundreds Of Weather-Related Calls In Tulsa

The freezing temperatures and icy roads have kept first responders very busy on Monday.

On average, EMSA said they typically get 20 calls by on a normal day, but on Monday, they've had ten times that many calls. 

EMSA has responded to over 260 weather-related calls since Monday began. EMSA said 125 of those are car crashes, eight for hypothermia, 113 for slips and falls, and 20 other undisclosed incidents. EMSA said this is one of the busiest days they’ve had in five years.

Adam Paluka with EMSA said on icy days like this, they run into a lot of obstacles that make it challenging to get to patients.

"Not only are we responding to a lot of additional calls, but some of the roads we were traditionally taking to get through those calls are also impassable. Either because bridges and overpasses haven't been treated or there are accidents that have made it impossible for us to reach the patient," said Paluka. 

Paluka said they had three ambulances involved in accidents on Monday, and thankfully no one was hurt.

Paluka said it's been difficult to get to patients in some situations because the roads they were using either hadn't been treated yet or had accidents blocking traffic. He asks drivers to keep pulling over on the right if they see an ambulance. He also says do not get out of your car if you're in an accident.

"Stay in your car. Don't get out of your car and investigate, don't get out of your car to look at the damage because that's how a lot of people get injured, if they stepped outside of their vehicle and another vehicle cannot stop to avoid them," Paluka added. 

Paramedics recommend you keep an extra set of hats, gloves, and socks in your car, so that in case they get wet you have a dry pair handy.