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Security carts soon to patrol in Rossmoor
One cart will be dedicated to medical calls
By Rowena Gonden
Staff writer
A couple of miniature squad cars - make that carts - will be trundling around Rossmoor later this year delivering hep to residents in a tight spot.
The vehicles that the community’s security company bought Dec. 1 are not yet in service because the one that will be dedicated for an emergency technician’s use still must be outfitted with the necessary supplies, including a first aid kit, oxygen tank and cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment, says Securitas Account Manager Minh Phan.
He also will be training employees on the do’s and don’ts of maneuvering a golf cart before they hit the streets, Phan said, noting as an example that taking a turn too quickly could flip the vehicle.
A member of his regular patrol staff likely will drive the second golf cart.
The benefits of these electric vehicles are several-fold: In addition to being kind to the environment and lower-maintenance than gasoline-fueled engines, their diminutive size enables them to deliver help more quickly, Phan said.
They can go where full-sized patrol vehicles can’t, he explained - on sidewalks and walking paths as well as behind and between buildings, which makes it easier for residents to spot and flag down a driver than trying to get the attention of a passing patrol car on the street.
And they can park right in front of homes without blocking fire engines or other emergency vehicles.
The carts also can be driven onto the golf courses without damaging grass to rescue someone who’s unconscious or been hurt, Phan said, adding that Securitas often receives reports of elderly residents with dementia who have wandered from their homes onto the links.
The driver has a considerably better view of trees, signs and other obstacles on the greens than he would from the confines of a car, he added.
Unlike typical golf carts, the customized cruisers are enclosed in plexiglass and come with a windshield wiper, headlights, taillights, turn signals, rear and side mirrors and a light bar on the roof that flashes yellow in an emergency.
Although they sport a standard paint job, the carts resemble tiny police cars with their creamy white exterior and black moulding.
In contrast to police cruisers, however, they don’t have a siren and won’t be hurtling to the scene of a mishap: Phan says the carts cannot exceed the 25 mph speed limit that’s in force everywhere in Rossmoor.