AUSTIN, Texas — A new way to keep travelers safe is happening at Austin's airport. Local medics will now be stationed in the main terminal to respond faster if anyone there needs medical help.
Medics say this program is taking off right before the airport sees a lot of new traffic coming up this month.
"There were no onsite medical services for any call for service here at the airport. We had to bring in an ambulance from the system. So we were looking at around 16-minute response times to the gate because obviously it's a large campus," said Austin-Travis County EMS Division Chief Stephen White.
Wednesday marked the start to the year-long pilot program between the Department of Aviation and ATCEMS.
"It brings Austin-Travis County EMS into the terminal right here behind the secure side so that they're located onsite at the terminal. We're hoping that that will really help expedite response times," said Sam Haynes, spokesperson for the Austin airport.
For White, now's the perfect time to make this change.
"This particular plan we've been coming up with for about six months. We had a deadline. We wanted to get paramedics in the terminal before South by Southwest," said White.
White said by having his team onsite, in many cases, travelers won't need to leave the airport to be treated.
"We've equipped them and given them additional training for them to be able to provide services here onsite so that hopefully we can treat them in place and then they can go ahead and safely make their flight to their destination," said White.
A part of the program is the ATCEMS Special Response Unit. It may seem like a souped-up golf cart, and that's because it is. They can't actually fit their ambulances in parking structures, the vehicle helps make sure patients get all of the care they need in a quick amount of time.
Chief White said this could also prevent other departments from having to respond to incidents at the airport and be able to serve the communities around the airport.
Both say it's a great way to make sure travelers are safe, whether they're taking off or landing in Austin.