Dare County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) recently began implementing updated equipment and new life-saving devices into patient service. The upgraded equipment ensures the department’s continued ability to provide cutting edge medical care to Dare County residents and visitors. The Board of Commissioners provided funding for the equipment in the 2020 Capital Improvements Plan.
A new life-saving device, the LUCAS, when attached to a patient, provides continuous, high-quality CPR chest compressions. These compressions are critical to maintaining blood flow to save a cardiac arrest patient’s brain, heart and vital organs. The LUCAS operates in place of a first responder, increasing efficiency in performing CPR and allowing first responders to perform other needed treatments while the device delivers cardiac compressions. Having the device perform cardiac compressions also alleviates first responders from standing in a moving ambulance, improving safety during patient transportation. To watch a demonstration of the device performed by EMS personnel at the recent Commissioners’ meeting, visit www.darenc.com/boc and click View Video for the January 6 meeting, Item 6.
New LifePak 1000 Automated External Defibrillators (AED) were also purchased for placement in supervisory vehicles. This additional deployment of AEDs further increases the availability of defibrillators to respond to potential or actual cardiac arrest situations.
LifePak 15 cardiac monitors and defibrillators used in time-critical, life-saving interventions for patients with cardiac conditions, were also upgraded to the latest version.
