The SouthtownStar has an article about the Oak Lawn Fire Department receiving a federal grant:
Firefighter/paramedics in Oak Lawn, along with patients getting CPR, should be safer thanks to a federal grant received Friday.
A $206,428 grant from the Department of Homeland Security will be used to buy four hydraulic lifts to move gurneys in and out of ambulances, and one automated CPR machine, Fire Chief George Sheets said.
Sheets said the lifts should help prevent firefighter/paramedics getting leg and back injuries while moving patients on gurneys in and out of ambulances. The lifts will be installed on the village’s three front-line ambulances and one of two backup ambulances.
The automated CPR machine will compress a patient’s chest, much like a firefighter/paramedic does with his or her hands, in efforts to get the heart beating again, Sheets said. Using the machine will free up firefighter/paramedics to conduct other tests and monitor patients en route to a hospital.
Oak Lawn Fire Deptartment Bureau Chief Gary Bettenhausen said the automated CPR machine “is more efficient and safer for the guys.”
#1 by Jim on July 15, 2014 - 3:10 PM
0.03,
Their minimum staffing has not changed in decades.
#2 by Mike Mc on July 15, 2014 - 11:24 AM
Is more efficent and safer for the “guys”? Not very P.C. Oak Lawn.
In the future, I would not trust the reporter and/or editor that did not give you the opportunity to correct that. They obviously knew it was a harmless figure of speach, but printed it anyway.
#3 by Joe on July 15, 2014 - 10:22 AM
Actually, ffemt, the effectiveness of mechanical compression devices are still up in the air. Many studies have shown no difference whatsoever between manual CPR and mechanical CPR devices. In some cases, pt’s have shown a worse outcome after receiving mechanical CPR from a device. Here’s some reading on one such study: http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ESC/41331
#4 by Rich on July 15, 2014 - 4:54 AM
To bad there’s not a grant to get raid of chiefs.
#5 by ffemt on July 15, 2014 - 4:37 AM
This is also a great way to improve CPR outcomes….if you’ve read any of the studies on cardiac arrest survival rates, you’ll see how important mechanical compression devices are.
#6 by 0.03 on July 14, 2014 - 10:32 PM
This is a great way to not have to send a fire company on EMS calls now so the village can let the fire department staffing get smaller and smaller.