Hospital foundation donates to RVAA

The Ritzville Volunteer Ambulance Association (RVAA) is the recent recipient of a variety of potentially lifesaving equipment because of a generous donation from the East Adams County Healthcare (EACH) Foundation committee.

The foundation donated funds for the purchase of an auto pulse cardiac support pump, laryngoscopes and a casualty simulation kit. The foundation also donated $10,000 towards the construction of a new building for the RVAA to use and to house the ambulances.

Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Roni Kinney explained that all of the equipment helps emergency personnel better prepare for crisis situations and help them administer the best care possible in a timely manner. Kinney said the auto pulse machine is probably the largest help for the local volunteers because of the stability it provides the crew.

The Auto Pulse Non-Invasive Cardiac Support Pump and LifeBand performs chest compressions, allowing medical personnel to monitor the patient while the machine completes CPR. The $16,000 equipment relieves the emergency personnel of performing strenuous and continuous chest compressions while transporting a patient in cardiac arrest to a hospital.

Kinney explained the difficulty of performing CPR goes beyond chest compressions and the physicality of the action, but also that the typical response unit is only two EMTs. With only two emergency personnel responding, one of the EMTs has to drive the ambulance while the other must maintain consistent CPR on the patient, sometimes lasting 45 minutes.

The auto pulse system works by strapping the patient to a shortened backboard with the LifeBand around the waist of the patient. Unlike manual CPR, the LifeBand does not break the patients ribs and can be adjusted to appropriately fit any patient. It also stops to allow the EMT to administer breaths, and stops and warns the EMT if the band moves or is not in the appropriate location on the patient.

Kinney said the battery-powered device is portable and convenient for the medical personnel. It runs a 30:2 continuous compression mode, administering 80 compressions per minute, but the compression depth and force varies depending on the patient.

The RVAA also received multiple King Vision laryngoscopes from the foundation donation, making it easier for health care responders to insert artificial airways. The scopes have a LED light and a camera on the blade portion of the device, which attach to a digital screen.

The two-piece design allows medical personnel to reuse the screen while the blades are disposable. The screen provides a clear view of the esophagus for emergency responders, and Kinney explained the guiding channel on the blade allows EMTs to quickly and smoothly insert the artificial airway.

The RVAA also received an EMT Casualty Simulation Kit through the donation funds. Kinney explained the kit allows emergency responders to work with a variety of injuries they may have to treat in the field.

The kit retails for just over $1,000 and provides training simulation for injuries such as fractures, burns, lacerations, and amputations. Kinney explained the variety of wounds allows emergency responders to prepare for tragic and gruesome injuries, and hopefully allows them to remain collected when they witness the injuries on a call.

The casualty kit uses a variety of components to bring to life drastic wounds, including abdominal wounds with protruding intestines and fractures of the leg and arm. The kit provides non-bleeding wounds, but also provides training with bleeding wounds through a variety of makeup accessories.

Kinney believes the donations from the EACH foundation will allow emergency responders to provide patients with the most updated technology to help save more lives while simultaneously allowing EMTs to perform their lifesaving duties more efficiently.