How ATCEMS is speeding emergency response during SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thousands of people are visiting downtown Austin for South by Southwest.

With plenty of people jammed in one concentrated area, emergencies are expected.

"With the amount of road closures and the increase in pedestrian traffic, it makes it challenging to get around downtown to folks that need help,” Austin-Travis County EMS Commander Eric Gordon said.

To speed up response times, paramedics are transforming downtown Austin into its own mini-city.

Gordon says this helps his team quickly assist with heart attacks, assaults and overdoses.

"We set up a patient collection point in the downtown area,” he said. “Basically, a large tent that's a field hospital."

To maximize maneuverability during the most crowded festival days, medics are rolling around in mini-ambulances and medic motorcycles.

Ashley Alizor has attended South by Southwest for several years.

"I feel like there's a good amount of protection for all of the people here,” she said.

The Austin local added that things typically take a turn for the worse at night.

"It's safe in Austin in the daylight, but like all big cities at nighttime things get a little bit more dangerous,” Alizor said.

Putting plans in place since last year’s South by Southwest concluded, EMS says their ability to save seconds or even minutes matters.

"We're confident that we'll be able to manage the medical call volume within our city,” Gordon concluded. “So, we're excited for this year’s festival.”

In 2023, EMS responded to 81 incidents within the downtown area during SXSW.