Community Corner

Have a Safe, Healthy Dream Cruise

Alliance Mobile Health will set up first-aid stations during Berkley CruiseFest and the Woodward Dream Cruise; the agency also offers tips on how to avoid seeking medical treatment when you'd rather be watching the classic cars.

Whether you plan to hit tonight or on Saturday, Alliance Mobile Health has a plan to keep you safe, healthy and comfortable, as well as preventative tips to ensure you spend your time enjoying the classic cars instead of seeking medical treatment.

The Troy-based emergency medical service provider, which operates in communities throughout Oakland County including Berkley, will be on hand to treat Cruise fans, whether they suffer minor scrapes or more serious issues.

"We're going to have our bike teams and advanced life support unit" (deployed during the festivities), Alliance Mobile Health Operations Manager Mike Koehler said Thursday night as he scoped out the scene along Woodward Avenue.

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The advance life support unit can give medication or insert a breathing tube and carries a heart monitor, he explained.

The EMS agency also will set up first-aid stations during Berkley CruiseFest and the Woodward Dream Cruise at the following locations:

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  • Berkley CruiseFest: 3 p.m. until approximately 11:30 p.m. Friday at the corner of 12 Mile Road and Wakefield in Berkley.
  • Woodward Dream Cruise: 7 a.m. until approximately 11 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot in Berkley.

The first-aid stations will provide bandages, water and other assistance, Koehler said.

Nobody wants to spend their Cruise in a first-aid station, so here's how he suggests avoiding such a fate:

  • Drink plenty of water. Better yet: Bring your own water bottle and fill up at the first-aid stations if needed.
  • Wear proper attire, such as tennis shoes. "We see a lot of blisters from people walking so much," Koehler said.
  • Make sure you eat.

In the event of a major medical emergency, Alliance will have a transporting unit dedicated to the Cruise and work with public safety officials to clear traffic. Bike teams will be able to administer emergency medical service in the meantime.

"We've got a bunch of streets marked 'No Parking, Emergency Route,' so we can better access Woodward because of all the cars and people," Deputy Director Robert North said Thursday night.

"We want everyone to have a safe, successful event as we celebrate our motor vehicle history – and that's the bottom line," North said.


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