SHEBOYGAN CO. — Medics in Sheboygan County are already preparing to serve the large crowds during the Ryder Cup.
Mike Kastelic thinks of the Ryder Cup as he warms up his own swing on a sunny day in Plymouth. In September, he'll be hosting his cousin, who is traveling 800 miles from Oklahoma to see the event.
"I've been to Whistling Straits before and its something to watch,” Kastelic said.
While fans think of sports, Sheboygan-area first responders are already preparing to keep people like Kastelic safe during big events coming to the county.
"We've brought technology in that allows us to manage CPR for patients, to managing airwaves for patients and to manage some more advanced medical procedures with a smaller crew,” said Daniel Althaus, executive director of Orange Cross Ambulance.
Orange Cross Ambulance is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to staffing during that time. It's preparing state-of-the-art technology such as military-grade ventilators and chest compression devices to react at a moment's notice. Its newest ambulance arrived earlier this year.
With the new technology, EMS practitioners are working to get hospital-grade care out to people who need it as quickly as possible.
“For our critical patients, some of the nearest hospitals can be 30 minutes away at the closest point,” Althaus said.
With fewer hospitals nearby, Kastelic said it gives him a sense of comfort knowing that first responders are coordinating things, and working on ways to provide efficient service, despite traffic and large crowds.
“Although it's in September, you never know. We could get warm weather and you never know what could happen at a golf course,” he said. “You could get hit with a golf ball. So it's a very important thing."
First responders are working to make safety par for the course in Sheboygan County throughout upcoming major events.
The cup will be held Sept. 24-26, 2021.
