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Wheeling Hospital Donates New Cardiac Care Equipment for Medics

To enhance quick response to cardiac emergencies, Wheeling Hospital donated $99,000 worth of cardiac care equipment Monday to four fire departments in Ohio County for use on ambulances.

The hospital purchased three Zoll Mobile Cardiac Event Monitors and a Zoll AutoPulse for EMS device at the request of the Ohio County Fire Chiefs Association.

John Sebring, Wheeling Hospital’s safety and security director, said the state-of-the art equipment features the latest technology for pre-hospital care. Its use “ultimately increases patient survival,” he said.

When ambulance squads are using the equipment, electrocardiogram readings are transmitted immediately to the hospital’s emergency department and cardiac catheterization lab, Sebring said.

The event monitors were presented to the Valley Grove, Clearview and Stone Church fire departments. The device enables the hospital to receive “real time” critical cardiac information about a patient being treated in an ambulance.

The AutoPulse device was given to the Wheeling Fire Department. This equipment can be used for high-quality, automated cardio-pulmonary resuscitation chest compressions on cardiac arrest victims.

Sebring said the AutoPulse performs uninterrupted chest compressions, resulting in better blood flow for patients and less fatigue for paramedics.

West Liberty Fire Chief Bill Cox, who is president of the Fire Chiefs Association, thanked Wheeling Hospital for the donation.

“This is really coming at a great time,” he said.

Cox said the equipment’s automated compressions result in 90 percent blood volume, as compared to the 30 percent rate that could be achieved by a human performing CPR. Noting that the device’s battery lasts 30 minutes, he said the unit has two extra batteries, providing for “90 minutes of uninterrupted use theoretically.”

Wheeling Fire Chief Larry Helms said the new technology will allow squads to get patients into the cardiac catheterization lab as soon as possible.

“This will enhance our efforts to get our patients to the hospital in a timely manner and enhance our patients’ care,” he said.

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