Local EMS announces $200,000 equipment upgrade

MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va. ( WTRF ) – McMechen Volunteer Fire Department’s EMS squad is proud to announce some new upgrades.

Recently, they added two new cardiac monitors and a new auto pulse machine.

Bill Estep, McMechen VFD EMS Chief, says these updates were a need, not a want since their older machines were outdated and not able to be serviced anymore.

It cost around $200,000 for this new EMS equipment and was bought using money from ambulance billing, funds provided by the county and some savings the department had.

“We couldn’t put it off anymore. We decided to go with the Zoll systems X-Series advance cardiac monitor and the auto pulse NXT. These machines are state of the art as far as cardiac care in a pre-hospital setting.”

Bill Estep | EMS Chief, McMechen VFD

The cardiac monitors can do basic EKG tracings, check oxygen levels, blood pressure, carbon monoxide monitoring, automated CPR help, can be used as an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and much more.

“When it comes to a cardiac emergency, every second counts. The cardiac arrest outcomes are going to be much better [with this monitor]. That is all we want. If this works with one person, it is worth every dollar we spend.”

Bill Estep | EMS Chief, McMechen VFD

The auto pulse NXT is the newest CPR device that administers lifesaving care on its own, freeing up the hands of a first responder.

The auto pulse machine can be used on people 10 years and older and never stop administering CPR.

Estep says they can move a patient anywhere while the machine does automatic CPR, and this new machine is able to accommodate larger individuals.

“Normal CPR, if done 100% correctly by hand, is only about 33% effective. This is about 85. So, you get about a three times greater chance of a better outcome using this machine.”

Bill Estep | EMS Chief, McMechen VFD

The cardiac monitoring machines come in handy when CPR needs to be administered to a child, a case where the auto pulse machine can’t be used.

The cardiac monitor will tell a first responder if their CPR is effective or not.

“There is an accelerometer disc that you put on the middle of the chest underneath your hands, and you do CPR. It will tell you whether you’re doing it at the correct rate depth and recoil. Recoil is really important because that is the blood refilling the heart that you’re pushing through. With this machine, there is a visual display that will tell you need to go deeper, you need to go faster, you need to release a little bit more. And it keeps you doing the best CPR that you can possibly do.”

Bill Estep | EMS Chief, McMechen VFD

Estep has been a medic for 30 years and says he has seen how these machines save lives first-hand.

He says these machines free up the hands of the limited first responders they have, meaning they can help more people when responding to an emergency.

Marhsall County Commission provides each volunteer EMS squad within the county $35,000 a year.

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