UMC Coordinates Utility Task Vehicle Safety Training For First Responders

UMC Coordinates Utility Task Vehicle Safety Training For First Responders

EL PASO, Texas – Through the implementation of University Medical Center of El Paso’s (UMC) ATV P.R.O. (Proper Riding Objectives) Safety Education program, a safety training course for first responders to receive formalized training is set for April 13 on how to safely navigate their agency vehicles in the sandy desert terrain, ahead of the summer months.

First responder and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, as well as county law enforcement are increasing the utilization of Utility Task Vehicles (UTV) for search and rescue. UMC will provide training that is designed to add another layer of safety for first responders throughout our Borderland desert.

UMC will host a Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association Driver Course © at Red Sands for first responders through our partnership with Texas Trails, Education and Motorized Management (TXTEAMM) and funding from our Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) grant.

“When we began planning our UMC ATV P.R.O. program in 2018, the primary focus was on youth All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) helmet safety. While it still is, during the pandemic we also observed a substantial increase in the popularity of these “side-by-side”, or UTVs, at Red Sands and other popular areas in and around El Paso County, said Xochitl Gamboa, UMC’s Trauma Grants Program Manager.

This course will demonstrate how our ATV safety partners and first responders are leading by example to improve the culture of safety around all off-highway vehicle recreation in our county. As a teaching hospital, UMC is proud to spearhead these efforts in our region and provide the resources our community needs to stay safe.

Media availability for B-roll and interviews:
When: Thursday, April 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Where: RentaUTV Off Road Adventures in Red Sands (15698 Montana Ave Unit A, El Paso, TX 79938)
Media Parking: 15670 Montana Ave El Paso TX 79938

About UMC’s ATV Proper Riding Objective (P.R.O) Safety Education Program: For a second grant term, UMC received a grant from Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. for $15,200 to support youth education and ATV safety. Grant funds are part of Yamaha’s Outdoor Access Initiative and they support our hospital’s trauma program injury prevention initiatives known as the University Medical Center’s P.R.O. (Proper Riding Objectives) youth ATV safety education program. The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative’s mission is to provide practical support that promotes safe, responsible use of off-highway vehicles and to educate the public on proper recreational land use. Grant funds permit our Scherr-Legate Level 1 Trauma Center to continue injury prevention efforts. Community partners include El Paso County Parks and Recreation, Texas Rescue Patrol/Desert Haven EMS, BorderRAC, Viva Power Sports, and Texas Trails, Education, and Motorized Management. This funding is designed to decrease traumatic brain injuries caused by improper and unsafe recreational use of off-highway motor vehicles in the El Paso County.

###

About UMC: For 108 years, University Medical Center of El Paso (UMC) has been providing exceptional, high quality care for the entire El Paso region. UMC is home to the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, the only Comprehensive Level I Stroke Center, and the only Level IV Maternal Critical Care Center. UMC’s mission is to Heal, to Serve and to Educate. For more UMC News, go to: http://www.umcelpaso.org
(News Releases at bottom of main page.)