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The City of Seattle will lease four Medic One motorcycles over the next two years for $570,000 dollars -- much less than the $1.3 million per year for an ambulance.

SEATTLE – With construction, population and congestion booming in Seattle, Mayor Greg Nickels has unveiled a two-wheeled plan to get paramedics to emergencies faster.

"Motorcycle Medics" will put teams of highly trained paramedics on specially equipped motorcycles in the downtown Seattle area.

It's a program similar to those in Miami, Pittsburgh and other cities.

"The Motorcycle Medic One Unit…will have the mobility and flexibility to better navigate downtown traffic and respond to medical emergencies when seconds count," said Nickels.

The two year pilot program will put two paramedics on separate motorcycles outfitted with life-saving equipment including defibrillators and cardiac drugs.  Of course, the motorcycles won't be able to hold as much as their larger Medic One ambulance cousins.

"The job of the motorcycle medics is to evaluate patients, coordinate  hospital transport when needed and quickly move on to another medical response," said Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean.

The city will actually lease four motorcycles during the pilot program under a budget of $570,000, which covers the motorcycle leases, equipment, training and staffing costs. That compares with the standard medic one unit that costs $1.3 million per year, according to the city.