Iowa Paramedics Utilizing New Ambulance

Aug. 09--Greater Regional Medical Center paramedics can now be seen responding to various medical calls throughout Union County in a brand-new silver ambulance accented with blue.

The ambulance, which arrived at Greater Regional July 5, replaced a 5-year-old Ford ambulance and now joins a blue 2013 Braun ambulance in the hospital bay.

"We have a routine of updating and replacing them (ambulances) on a fairly regular schedule ... so they stay current and do not have maintenance issues," said LouAnn Snodgrass, GRMCexecutive director. "We put a lot of miles on them, so keeping them ready to be used for emergency purposes is part of what we're here to do."

Specs

The new ambulance cost $189,000, an average cost for ambulances and comparable to the previously purchased vehicle.

"Medic One was starting to get up there in miles and starting to do the nickel-and-dime thing. So, we decided it was time to build the next one," said Casey Larson, GRMC paramedic. "This one was built a little faster than we anticipated."

The vehicle was built by Life Line with a Dodge chassis. Amenity-wise, Larson said the vehicle is "pretty cut and dry," but does contain updated technology like touchscreens to control the various operations within the ambulance.

Also, Dodge's drivetrain warranty "is one of the best out there," and Life Line as a company has "the best warranty in the industry," according to Larson, so that if anything happens, the hospital won't need to pay for any large repairs out of pocket.

"The other ambulance was starting to have some problems and having more and more breakdowns. We didn't want to run the risk of a breakdown with a patient, so we felt that it was a good time to (purchase a new ambulance)," Larson said.

Within the ambulance lies the standard amenities for medics, such as a motorized gurney for patients and storage spaces along the walls for equipment and supplies. The ambulance also is equipped with a new style of suspension to allow for a smoother ride. The suspension can be adjusted manually while the vehicle is moving.

The vehicle is silver with blue and white accents, rather than the blue with silver and white accents, in order to stand out from other ambulances in the community and within the UnityPoint region.

EMS services

The new ambulance occurred alongside various changes within the EMS department at the local hospital. Emergency medical staff at the hospital are now working 24-hour shifts rather than the previous 12-hour shift with 12 hours of on-call time. This allows for paramedics to work two days a week instead of three. Medical staff also now includes emergency medical technicians alongside paramedics.

"It's actually a better service for the community," Larson said, "because now we don't have to wait for people to come from home or wherever they're at. They're already here and ready to respond immediately, which would be a major positive for the community."

This new schedule allows for decreased response times during emergencies and less downtime for those on the clock. Call volume has increased steadily each year, which means medical staff have responded to about 300 more medical calls this past year than they did 20 years ago.

The 2011 ambulance was sold to Afton Volunteer Fire Department to replace the department's ambulance, which was getting too old for its needs. Afton first responders have a mutual aid agreement with Greater Regional to respond to any calls when Greater Regional medical staff are otherwise occupied on other calls, and already this year, Afton has helped Greater Regional several times.

Also, medical staff have been working with other departments throughout the region to improve department capabilities, said Larson and Jen Worisek, paramedic.

Recently, medics performed a drowning training with local lifeguards and plan to do another alongside Southern Prairie YMCA in September.

"We went to some of the churches in the community and did some impromptu AED (automated external defibrillator) training and things like that," Worisek said.

Medics also performed a training with Greenfield Fire Department, and Larson said they are "constantly looking for new ways to serve."

"We're working diligently on improving our capabilities as a department, whether it's through education or raising the standards for ourselves," Larson said. "We've been working pretty fervently on that. It'll be beneficial for the community to know that we've been painstakingly trudging through."

"We're fortunate to have a great team of EMS in the Greater Regional service region," Snodgrass said. "The way these groups of fire, police, sheriff, paramedics work together is truly an honor to watch happen and also to see what good they're doing in the community. They're very committed and passionate about what they do."

Copyright 2016 - The Creston News Advertiser, Iowa