Morale is high in the Le Roy Ambulance corps these days, according to Chuck Hammon, thanks to a $90,000 FEMA grant that has enabled the department to upgrade to the latest, most advanced mobile defibrillators available.
The high-tech defibrillators will help EMTs save lives, Hammon said.
"The Lifepack 15 came out two years ago," Hammon said. "We've been working with Lifepack 12s for 10 years. For a nonprofit like us, this never could have happened without a grant."
The units cost $33,000 each. FEMA provided a grant of $90,000 -- the only one of its kind awarded in the State of New York in 2011 -- and the ambulance service had to provide an 8-percent match.
The match came from selling the old units for $5,000 to a company that will refurbish them and resell them.
The manufacturer did a good job of listening to what EMTs needed to be changed about old units, Hammon said. The new ones have better bump guards, are easier to access and read controls, plus they have extra features and buttons that are less difficult to clean and sanitize.
The unit can not only grab an EKG -- that can be saved wirelessly to a smartphone, a laptop computer (along with other patient information) -- but transmit it to the hospital, either for consultation with a doctor or to provide emergency room personnel advance information on a patient.
In fire situations, the unit can check firefighters or victims for carbon monoxide poisoning.
And in the case of a hazardous spill, it can be used to monitor people with possible exposure to dangerous chemicals.
"It's not all-inclusive," Hammon said. "It's not going to test everything, but it will test hemoglobin and test for nitrates in the blood."
He said the defibrillators are currently the most advanced in service in Genesee County.
Congrats on the grant people.
Congrats on the grant people. Keep up the great job.