Bike Patrol Provides EMS for Pa. Trick-or-Treaters
A stethoscope hanging from his neck and a helmet sitting steady on his head, Bruce Yealy was ready for any medical emergencies on the streets of Penn Township on Tuesday night.
Nearly 80 pounds worth of medical equipment such as IVs, needles and drugs were packed into the bag secured to the back of his bicycle - just in case a parent suffered a heart attack or a child fell and scraped a knee as they were trick-or-treating.
Yealy, a paramedic with Hanover Hospital Medic 46, also carried candy - lots of candy.
"I can take care of it all," Yealy said as he handed sugary goodies to miniature ghosts, witches and pirates. Tuesday was trick-or-treat night for several municipalities, including Penn Township and Hanover.
At the intersection of Granger Street and Meade Avenue, Yealy met up with Penn Township Police officers John Carbaugh and Travis Shearer, who spent the hours between 6 and 8 p.m. handing out glow-in-the-dark toys and greeting trick-or-treaters.
They too were on bike patrol and ready for anything.
The cops were hauling all the typical police equipment with them - including the necessary paperwork to issue citations or parking tickets, Carbaugh said.
"The only thing we don't have is a way to transport people," he said.
While costumed children went door-to-door in search of candy, Carbaugh and Shearer made it their job to stop as many of them as possible. The officers introduced themselves, gave out candy and toys and left the youngsters with a heartfelt message.
"Be safe for us," Carbaugh told one group that included a ninja, a Cinderella and a 21-month-old Shrek.
Sometimes a child recognized Carbaugh from his work in schools through the DARE program. Other times it was Carbaugh who made the connection.
"I know you. Do you know me?" he said to 5-year-old Diego Cardenas.
"No!" Cardenas blurted out before recanting. "You're the cop!"
Carbaugh and Yealy both have patrolled trick-or-treat night in the township on bikes for the past three years. It's an effective way of reaching out to the community while also maintaining a police presence on a night when residents are out and about, Carbaugh said.
Cops on bikes seem more approachable to people, he said.
"A lot of times people are intimidated by the police car," Carbaugh said.
Having police officers and paramedics patrol on bikes "anytime there's a large crowd out on the streets" has become an effective way of responding to emergencies, Yealy said.
On Thursday, the bike patrols will be out for the Hanover Halloween Parade.
"Trick-or-treat's pretty laid-back," Yealy said. "Last year we were pretty busy during the Halloween Parade."
And it was a relatively uneventful night on Tuesday for the Penn Township police officers.
Only a group of masked teenagers smoking and a speeding pickup truck drew the officers' attention away from the task of handing out candy and encouraging safety. Occasionally they stopped traffic for trick-or-treaters needing to cross Granger Street.
"It's great that you guys are coming out and protecting the kids," Chrystal Helwig, a parent, told the officers.
And it's a chance to emphasize the importance of safety while kids are young, he said.
"Everybody get something?" Carbaugh asked a group of trick-of-treaters. "Be safe, OK?"
Contact Erin James at ejames@eveningsun.com .
