Southeast Montana News

The Billings Fire Department’s Mobile Response Team has some of the latest technology in tow, thanks in part to a grant from Phillips 66.

The grant funded two AutoPulse Resuscitation Systems from ZOLL Medical. The department also purchased an X Series Cardiac Monitor with public safety funding.

“These two pieces of equipment are pretty much the cutting edge as far as cardiac care and compressions go,” said Cameron McCamley, Billings Fire Department EMS shift coordinator.

The AutoPulse is a device that squeezes the patient’s chest and provides automated CPR, even while relocating the patient to an ambulance. It can be carried like a backpack, then unfolds to the size of a stretcher.

“Typically, if we want to take someone from their house out to the ambulance, we have to stop CPR to do that. This will keep doing CPR because we can carry them out on it,” McCamley explained.

Chest compressions are usually performed manually, which can become exhausting.

“You have to remember, as great as we are at doing CPR, we get tired, especially when there is a lot going on. Now we have something that we can put on a patient that’s continuous. We will be able to focus on other parts of patient care as well,” said McCamley.

The department’s other new piece of equipment, the X Series Cardiac Monitor, which was purchased with public safety funds, has full cardiac function.

“If you think you’re having a heart attack, we will be able to see your EKG. We can transmit that information to the hospital and the cardiologist will see the EKG before we even show up, so they’ll know if you need to go to the cath lab or not,” McCamley said.

The monitor also measures blood oxygen and carbon monoxide levels.

“If someone complains of general flu-like symptoms, we’re going to put the same device on that measures blood oxygen, and it’s going to tell us if the patient has carbon monoxide poisoning that we can’t see or smell,” explained McCamley.

Before this purchase, the Medical Response Team already had a cardiac monitor on board, but it was a spare monitor that was used for training.

Once the second MRT begins responding to calls later this year, the department plans to purchase another X Series Monitor that will provide the team with a dedicated unit.

Between the cardiac monitor and AutoPulse, McCamley said the two devices work well together.

“Thank you to Phillips 66 for being a fantastic partner. They’ve really taken on a mission to help us improve the system and make it better.”

Original source can be found here.