BENTONVILLE -- Ten city firefighters took to the trails this week to become certified members of the Fire Department's bike team.
The 40-hour course was about half lecture and half cycling. The cycling portion was part cone drills to focus on slow- speed handling and part skill development on the Slaughter Pen mountain biking trail.
Riding on mountain biking trails allows riders to develop their skills more quickly than riding on the road, said Capt. Matt Perkins, firefighter and course instructor.
"You're forced to learn proper gear selection and slow-speed handling and mobility," he said.
Perkins attended the International Police Mountain Bike Association's annual conference in Louisiana last year to become an instructor.
The International Police Mountain Bike Association offers certification and training courses for police, emergency medical services and security cycling, according to its website.
The city's Fire Department bike team formed last year. Its main function is to serve as stand-by at large gatherings and events such as running races, First Fridays, high school football games, etc.
"Anytime there's a big group of people, we're there," Perkins said. "Just by statistics, anytime you get a large group of people together, somebody's bound to have a problem."
The team served 354 hours at 45 events last year, said Linda Allen, administrative assistant.
The department has 20 certified riders for its bike team. Ten riders completed the training last year when the team formed. Another 10 riders participated in this week's training.
The department has four bikes. Each is equipped with 40 pounds of gear that can assist a patient with immediate life threats, such as an arterial bleed, Perkins said.
Part of the training included learning to ride with the extra weight.
"It totally changes how you ride," Perkins said. "Any mistake you make is magnified with all that weight."
Most of the medical needs they've assisted with have been weather-related, whether a runner with heat stroke or a concertgoer who became severely dehydrated in extreme heat, Perkins said.
Beyond medical service, the bike team also allows the firefighters to interact with the community, some team members said.
Being on a bike makes them more approachable, said Nick Blood, team member.
"It's something that they do, and you have that in common," he said, referring to Bentonville's growing cycling community.
Serving on the bike team is just another way the department can serve the community, said Andy Guest and Joey Spivey, bike team members.
NW News on 04/05/2014