Training Exercise Showcases Patrol Group-Rescue Group Partnership

By: Marty Caivano

Posted: March 3, 2016

The Santos trail system, near Ocala, Florida, is one of IMBA's bronze-level Ride Centers — thanks in part to the efforts of the Ocala Mountain Bike Association and its patrol group, the OMBA Bike Patrol.

As a Ride Center, Santos attracts thousands of people, both local riders and tourists. As the trails see more users, including more new mountain bikers, the need grows for swift response in case of emergency.

Recently the OMBA Bike Patrol partnered with Marion County Fire Rescue and Cross Florida Greenway Trails to plan an in-depth joint training to address this need. The strength of the partnerships, the details of the training and the roles played by each organization make for interesting reading. You can check it out here.

Patrol groups nationwide can use this as a template to plan their own training or to further partnerships with local fire/rescue groups. Reach out to the NMBP national director, Marty Caivano, with any questions.

Tags:

NMBP

Ocala Mountain Bike Association

OMBA Bike Patrol

Santos trails

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Marty joins IMBA after twelve years spent mountain biking every hour of the day that wasn't tied up in other life-sustaining activities. In her former career, she lived behind a camera as a photojournalist, writer and videographer for newspapers and cycling magazines. She's also currently developing a fetish for tool collecting after becoming a bike mechanic, following her visits to the United Bicycle Institute and USA Cycling's race mechanics' clinic.

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