BISD reverses decision, will keep ambulances at home varsity football games
· Yahoo Sports
Beaumont ISD has reversed its decision to remove dedicated ambulances from home varsity football games, announcing the change less than four hours before Thursday night's kickoff.
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The district said Wednesday it would no longer station a contracted ambulance at home games and would instead rely on the city of Beaumont's emergency response system. Under that plan, 911 and Beaumont Fire-Rescue would be activated if emergency transportation was needed.
On Thursday, BISD announced it would continue having a dedicated ambulance at all home varsity football games for the season.
The district said the decision came after further consideration and would provide an “additional level of preparedness and reassurance” for student-athletes, coaches, families and spectators.
The ambulance will work alongside medical professionals already scheduled to be on the sidelines, including at least one BISD athletic trainer and a volunteer local physician.
Latisha Minor, whose son is a senior football player, said she was concerned when she learned the ambulance would initially be removed.
“I, from a mom that has had a son that has been injured before, I had concerns,” Minor said. “What if my son was severely injured, and trainers weren't able to actually give him the help that he needed?”
Minor said she was relieved when she learned the ambulance would return.
“That was a sigh of relief,” she said. “And I felt relieved knowing that if something was to happen, any child, not just my child, could get the immediate care that they may need.”
The importance of having an ambulance available during football games is also a consideration in other Southeast Texas communities.
Jim Love with the Evadale Volunteer Fire Department said his department feels more comfortable having an ambulance on site during athletic events.
“It frankly made us very nervous to think we may be dependent upon an ambulance being called to the scene if there were an issue,” Love said. “We just feel much safer with an ambulance on site.”
Love said response time can be particularly important during football, a high-contact sport.
“In my work with the fire department and with EMS, response time is critical, in particular in a high contact sport like football,” he said.
During Thursday night's game, a player went down on the field and was checked by trainers before getting back up and being helped off. The player was OK and did not require an ambulance.
BISD said the dedicated ambulance will remain at all home varsity football games for the remainder of the season.
The district has not specified what prompted the change from its original plan.