MEDIC EMS is installing a new mount system to secure ventilators and cardiac monitors in all 20 of its ambulances that serve Davenport, Bettendorf, northern Scott County, and surrounding communities.
Last year, MEDIC EMS was one of many Iowa ambulance agencies that received an allocation of patient ventilators from the Iowa Homeland Security Strategic stockpile, according to a Wednesday release.
These ventilators will enhance the care of critically ill patients, whose numbers have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 4,500
emergency vehicles are involved in accidents on a yearly basis. Injuries from these crashes can come from unsecured equipment to Emergency Medical Services staff and/or patients. Having a mounting system that has been successfully tested and certified, taking into account actual device specifications is important and brings a peace of mind.
Considering these statistics, deployment of these ventilators would not be complete without a
means to safely secure them in each ambulance. To address this, MEDIC EMS applied for and
received a Fall 2021 grant from the Regional Development Authority (RDA) for $75,000 to help fund installation of a Technimount System for both the new ventilators and existing cardiac monitors in all 20 ambulances.
“Securing this equipment will not only protect our patients and staff members from injury, but also prevent damage to this new equipment, ensuring its operation to save lives,” the release said.
The Technimount System is now in place for cardiac monitors at MEDIC EMS, with the ventilator solution in final stages of production, with an expected implementation date of January 2023.