Ambulance services ready with backup plans as Gold Star Bridge construction continues
Ambulance crews are preparing for potential traffic delays due to ongoing construction on the Gold Star Bridge, a critical route for emergency medical transports between communities in southeastern Connecticut and New London hospitals.
For Mystic River Ambulance, the bridge is an important link in patient care. The service responds to eight to 10 calls a day, with about two-thirds of patients transported to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London.
With construction underway on the Gold Star Bridge, ambulance crews expect traffic delays could become more common. However, Mystic River Ambulance Association President Todd McDonnell said emergency responders have long prepared for that possibility.
“It’s always been a choke point. There’s always been the possibility of a wreck,” said McDonnell. “We’ve always had these plans in the back of our mind. This is not something new.”
Without traffic, the trip from Mystic to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital takes about 15 minutes. If congestion or a bridge closure prevents crews from reaching the hospital, they can instead transport patients to Pequot Health Center in Groton, which is located east of the Thames River and does not require crossing the bridge.
“There’s all kinds of imaging and stuff like that that can be done, and they can do the critical interventions and stabilize somebody so we can take them for a longer ride, if need be,” McDonnell explained.
McDonnell said ambulance services have multiple backup options available. In addition to Pequot Health Center, Mystic River Ambulance can transport patients to Westerly Hospital or Backus Hospital in Norwich when needed.
Similar ambulance services, including Groton Ambulance and North Stonington emergency responders, have developed comparable contingency plans.
“You always have to have a plan B, and it’s really prudent to have a plan C, D, and E as well,” McDonnell said.
He said the Gold Star Bridge construction project may alter emergency crews’ transportation routes, but it will not affect their ability to get patients the care they need.
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