The logistics behind adequate emergency medical services (EMS) for a race that involves in excess of 35 000 people needs to be highly effective. For the third consecutive year, Tracker Business, leading tracking and monitoring solutions company, will be supporting the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour by assisting with emergency and event management logistics behind the scenes.
Using industry-leading telematics technology and location-based services, Tracker Business assists with the speedy dispatch of emergency services directly to specific locations.
Bronwynn Tippett, chief marketing officer at Tracker says, “We’ve embarked on a dynamic drive across a number of national platforms to make cycling safer. The Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour is well-loved by many and we’ve really taken on the responsibility of keeping all cyclists in this race connected and safe.”
Tracker Business also tracks the top cyclists and participating celebrities, providing SuperSport with map interfaces for better broadcasting. Last year, British business magnate Sir Richard Branson, Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille and TV and radio presenter Liezel van der Westhuizen were among those tracked.
Scott Seaward, executive producer at SuperSport says, “Tracker Business’s service added another dimension to the on-screen information and tracking of cyclists on the route. We had a selected number of celebrity cyclists that were carrying the Tracker Business units and we were able to display on screen their exact whereabouts whilst concentrating on the pro cyclists race in the morning.”
The emergency services in the Western Cape do have a tracking system but complexities arise due to the numerous service providers. Tracker Business solves this problem as its system can be used across all vehicles, allowing the control room to know the exact whereabouts of the closest vehicle to the incident.
With rider safety at the heart of Tracker Business’s involvement, each race is followed by shared learnings during which Tracker Business and Emergency Medical Services define best practice and improved efficiencies for the next race.
Dr Wayne Smith, head of Emergency Medical Services Western Cape says, “We work closely with Tracker’s technical team and they’ve provided an invaluable resource over the last couple of years. They’ve served us incredibly well during what can, at times, be extremely challenging circumstances.”
Tracker Business’s relationship with the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour endorses its broader safe cycling initiative – Ride Free – that focuses on providing safer cycling alternatives. The initiative kicked off with the sponsorship and upgrading of two leading mountain bike parks in Jo’burg – the well-known Ride Free Bike Park at Avianto in Muldersdrift and the Ride Free Bike Park at Modderfontein Nature Park.