The Eastern Upper Peninsula is experiencing increased snowmobile activity as the snow and weather conditions allow for not only local enthusiasts to take to the trails but also many tourists. Every year War Memorial Hospital assists riders that have minor to catastrophic accidents while enjoying the popular winter sport.
“Please follow all snowmobile safety procedures and know your location on the trails” stated Austin Conway, Emergency Manager of War Memorial Hospital. “Speed is a contributing factor in nearly all fatal accidents. Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgement and slows reaction time” added Conway.
Currently the State of Michigan is at critically low levels of blood. Due to the shortages there are concerns of having enough blood to provide in the case a transfusion is needed especially during trauma care and surgeries. Our state also continues to struggle with bed capacity. Many hospitals are not able to accept patients that need to be transferred to a higher level of care because they do not have the capacity to treat them. These factors together cause concern for War Memorial Hospital especially with the influx of snowmobile riders for the I-500 race.
The I-500 snowmobile race kicks off today in Sault Ste. Marie with a whole week of activities. Race chairman Ric Federau says there’s a kids snowmobile race, a vintage snowmobile race with the I-500 on Saturday. He says 38 teams compete in the endurance race, which was modeled after the Indianapolis 500. He says it’s the vacation destination for winter enthusiasts since it’s a week long event.
“Each year we see an increase in Emergency Department visits around the weekend of the I-500.” said David Jahn, President and CEO of War Memorial Hospital. “We continue to support this popular event in our community but we ask that everyone take additional precautions as they take to the trails and enjoy watching the race” added Jahn.
Additional safety tips for those planning to ride snowmobiles include wearing appropriate clothes and protective gear, never riding alone, staying to the right and staying on the marked trails. Trail maps and information on trail conditions can be found at sootrails.org/trail-maps.
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