Haligonians saw their first paramedics on electric bikes this summer, under a pilot launched by Halifax Emergency Health Services (EHS) to improve public services while shifting toward cleaner transportation.

“If you’re ever hurt on the Halifax waterfront, it may not be an ambulance that comes to the rescue,” but rather a well-equipped paramedic on an e-bike, reports CBC News.

The Nova Scotia capital’s first e-bike paramedic patrol was a hit—with the public and with the paramedics who seized the opportunity to ride a bike at work.

Launched during Halifax’s peak tourist season to provide extra help, the pilot aimed for quicker response times to emergencies—especially in crowded or narrow downtown spaces—with the nimble e-bikes allowing paramedics to reach and assess injured people far more quickly than they could by ambulance.

Ambulances are still brought in for more serious injuries.

Christine Baggs, a tourist from Ontario who was assessed by a paramedic on e-patrol after she fell and twisted her ankle, told CBC she appreciated the service. “It allowed me to be assured quickly that my ankle wasn’t broken, so I could get on with my day,” she said.

The paramedics say they love being out on their bikes—and especially appreciate the power-assist that lets them preserve professional decorum while attending emergencies in hilly Halifax.

“You can get all the boost you need to get to a call, up on Citadel Hill if you need to, without sweating,” said primary paramedic Glenn Sentner, adding with a chuckle, “I don’t think you want us to come to attend you, and drip sweat all over you.”

The pilot did not take away from ambulance availability, CBC reports—instead, Halifax EHS paid paramedics to work weekends and days off. 

It also had a climate angle. “We are always looking to improve our infrastructure and will be looking at other clean transportation initiatives,” Alana Andrews, EHS senior manager of communications and public affairs, told The Energy Mix. “The pilot will be looked at over the next couple of months to determine deployment for next summer.”