EMS purchases cardiac care devices for fire department

By Stratford Star on June 20, 2014

Stratford – Stratford EMS purchases cardiac care devices for fire department: In an effort to continually expand it’s life-saving capabilities and to further support it’s mission of maintaining Stratford as a HeartSafe Community, Stratford EMS has purchased new Automated External Defibrillators for the fire department.

Each year, the Stratford EMS system responds to more than 100 reports of cardiac arrest and, while they are not always able to revive every patient, the system works very hard to give each patient the very best chances for survival. The Stratford EMS System is made up of Stratford Fire Department First Responders and Stratford EMS (SEMS).

Over the past several years, Stratford has put several updates in place aimed at enhancing its ability to save lives. The Town of Stratford became a HeartSafe community in 2012 which requires the establishment and maintenance of CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training for the public, as well as the placement of AED’s throughout the community.

Stratford EMS has also upgraded its capabilities to reduce response times. In 2013, SEMS was awarded a grant to upgrade its paramedic cardiac monitors and purchase a Lucas II automatic chest compression device. SEMS also began providing advanced cardiac life support training in-house.

Michael Loiz, Director of EMS said, “The fire department asked us to support them in purchasing additional AED’s through the EMS Enterprise Fund. The purchase of these devices is an enhancement to the overall EMS systems capability to respond to sudden cardiac arrest and will help us continue to support our overall mission to save lives.”

The purchase also included first response oxygen bags for each AED.

This equipment cost SEMS approximately $24,000 and was paid for out of the EMS Enterprise fund which is supported by billing insurance carriers, and is not subsidized by public tax dollars.