As Topeka braces for another significant snowstorm, memories of January’s gridlock on emergency services remain fresh. During the last major winter storm, emergency response times were dangerous, roads became nearly impassable, and AMR (American Medical Response) struggled under the weight of overwhelming demand.
This time, however, AMR staff say they are ready.
In a conversation with This Is Topeka, AMR’s Amy stated that the company has taken proactive measures to avoid a repeat of the last storm’s difficulties. Additional staff have been brought in, and AMR is “fully covered” for this storm, ensuring they can meet emergency needs without significant delays.
Beyond AMR’s internal efforts, Amy also noted that city crews are better [we hope] prepared to handle road conditions, which were one of the biggest obstacles to emergency response last time. During the previous storm, snowfall piled up quickly, streets remained untreated for too long, and some emergency vehicles couldn’t reach those in need.
While it remains to be seen how well both AMR and the city’s road crews perform under pressure, one thing is clear: lessons from the last storm have prompted changes.
Here’s hoping AMR’s increased staffing and improved road conditions make a difference—and, ideally, that they won’t be needed at all.
