"We should be fine:" First responders say thanks to preparation, full freeway closure shouldn't be a problem

“We should be fine:” First responders say thanks to preparation, full freeway closure shouldn`t be a problem

"We should be fine:" First responders say thanks to preparation, full freeway closure shouldn`t be a problem

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Preparing for closed roads, backups and delays! I-94 will be shut down in both directions from the Zoo Interchange to Highway 100 this weekend. That means detours and a lot of planning. It also means first responders have to adjust their routes.

In a job where every second counts, and speed is everything, Bell Ambulance paramedic Scott Mickelsen stays focused on getting to the emergency.

"First things first is get to the scene safely and efficiently. When a call comes in, we just hit respond," Mickelsen said.

But from time to time, there are challenges and road blocks. This weekend comes a big one!

"We try to be as progressive as we can with these road closures," Mickelsen said.

Starting Friday night, July 18th, I-94 will be closed in both directions from the Zoo Interchange to Highway 100.

"They're hard to work around, but if you prepare for them, you can make it through," Mickelsen said.

Bell Ambulance is alerting drivers, using navigation and moving squads further west.

"I think it's going to run very smoothly," Mickelsen said.

The Milwaukee Fire Department has also been preparing for the freeway closure.

"We're quite used to the construction projects. If you have the information, you can build a solid plan," MFD Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski said.

The Milwaukee Fire Department has worked closely with the Wisconsin DOT.

"They've allowed us into the planning rooms, so that we can create our access points long before the first shovel hits the dirt," Lipski said.

These first responders say they know the roads very well, and as long as they have a heads up, and something as simple as a map, it will be no trouble getting around the construction.

"We should be fine," Mickelsen said.

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