Ambulance volunteers saddle up on e-bikes for Cork City Marathon

St John Ambulance Cork eBike Cycle Response Unit is believed to be the first of its kind in Ireland

 Cycle responders Colin Desmond and Alan Barry from St John Ambulance with the new E-bikes donated to the voluntary ambulance service from Roca Sports in Fota Enterpirse Park in Carrigtwohill. Picture: Noel Sweeney

Life-saving first responders have deployed an e-bike rapid response medical unit in Cork for the first time — providing cover at this weekend's city marathon.

As thousands of runners hit the streets on Sunday, St John Ambulance Cork volunteers saddled up on their new electric bikes, each equipped to carry up to 25kg of medical gear, including defibrillators, oxygen, and essential life-support tools, to help provide medical cover for event participants and spectators, along the route.