For Papal Visit, Howard County Sends Emergency Supplies

Pope Francis begins his U.S. tour on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., and when he gets to the Philadelphia area this weekend, Howard County will have some of its equipment there in the event of an emergency.

Narberth Ambulance, which serves an area outside Philadelphia, asked the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services for help ahead of the papal visit, which is expected to draw thousands to the area.

The department will send four LIFEPAK monitors, which are equipped with automated and manual defibrillators and can perform other functions to take vital signs and gauge cardiac symptoms, according to a statement from Howard County.

“With thousands expected to be in attendance, we wanted to support the efforts of our neighbors and do what we can to assist,” Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman said in a statement. “Large-scale events like the papal visit require the sharing of critical assets, extraordinary regional cooperation and mutual aid.”

Narberth Ambulance plans to have a paramedic-staffed motorcycle, ambulance, ATVs and first-aid equipped bicycles to get to people who may be in need during the Pope’s visit, according to Narberth Patch.

Howard County Fire Chief John S. Butler supported the decision to send the extra help.

“When large crowds gather, it creates additional challenges for first responders, especially as we respond to medical incidents,” Butler said in a statement. “Having the right supply of equipment can literally make the difference in the chances of survival so we wanted to make sure that Narberth had everything they needed to meet the demand.”

See Also:

• Guide to Pope’s 2015 U.S. Visit
• Narberth ‘Pope Crawl’ Set for Sept. 26
• 2015 Pope Francis Visit to Washington DC: Your Guide
• Papal Visit? There’s an App for That
• Narberth Ambulance is Ready for Pope’s Visit