BONNYVILLE – New life saving gear has been added to Bonnyville Ambulance stock because of purchases made by the Summer Village of Bonnyville Beach council. 

Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) grant funding supplied by the Alberta authorities was utilized by the summer time village’s council to buy two e700 ventilators and three Stryker LUCAS 3 units that present mechanical chest compressions. 

“Because of the flexibleness of the Municipal Sustainability grant program, we have been in a position to tackle a necessity that not solely impacts our Summer Village residents however all the individuals who want an ambulance within the space,” Paul Tercier, the administrator for Bonnyville Beach, advised Lakeland This Week. 

This gear will present assist for prolonged CPR and air flow necessities when a responding ambulance is much from a hospital or emergency heart, in addition to when lengthy distance transport is required to bigger trauma facilities within the province, defined Alicia Krawchuk, the Regional Deputy Fireplace Chief for the Bonnyville Regional Fireplace Authority (BRFA). 

Earlier than council determined to buy these medical units for the BRFA, conversations between the 2 teams passed off to ensure the provincial funding would have the best affect and help the most individuals, mentioned Tercier. 

“The council of the Summer Village of Bonnyville Beach is happy to offer this assist with the assistance of the Province of Alberta making it doable for the chance to boost emergency medical providers to our group,” expressed Mayor Grant Ferbey, on behalf of the Summer Village of Bonnyville Beach council. 

Whereas these specialised units usually are not required to be in an ambulance, Krawchuk mentioned the units have been chosen primarily based on the distinctive wants of the Lakeland and the area’s proximity to tertiary care.  

“For instance, the ventilators are used throughout lengthy transports to Edmonton. A significant consideration for buying the Lucas CPR units was the acute chilly temperatures that we expertise, and the dangers of cold-water drownings,” she defined. 

“Treating each hypothermic or cold-water drowning cardiac arrests can final for hours whereas practitioners work to extend the affected person’s physique temperature. These CPR units will eradicate supplier fatigue and supply constant compressions precisely… Because the units can mechanically carry out CPR on the affected person, a paramedic is free to help in different methods, reminiscent of ventilating or giving drugs.” 

Krawchuk added that the BRFA could be very grateful for the beneficiant donation that the Summer Village of Bonnyville Beach supplied.  

The $75,000 grant was the results of analysis finished by council, Mayor Ferbey and councillors Laurie Gardner and Tom Thackeray. 

The MSI grant made it doable for council to offer the Bonnyville’s EMS service with gear that was outdoors of the well being group’s finances, Tercier mentioned. 

“The emergency response gear will assist the Bonnyville Ambulance Service to raised serve the folks all through the MD, when prolonged distances make the time for offering service longer,” he continued. 

“Going past our boundaries to offer higher outcomes for our neighbours in addition to our personal residents is one thing that our council works in direction of.” 

After the arrival of the medical gear, Minister of Municipal Affairs Rebecca Schulz, supplied the next assertion: “I wish to thank and congratulate the Summer Village of Bonnyville Beach for taking steps to make sure efficient emergency providers locally. The objective of the Municipal Sustainability Initiative has at all times been to offer Alberta’s municipalities with the funding they should enhance the standard of lifetime of their residents. This funding will assist to equip our emergency first responders with the gear they should do their jobs, assist their fellow residents and save lives.” 

Tools  Coaching

Coaching on the brand new gear passed off on Dec. 13 on the Bonnyville Ambulance headquarters with native paramedics, and a go to from Ferbey. 

When the BRFA acquired the LUCAS units, a group from Stryker travelled to Bonnyville to coach native paramedics on the units. 

“The units are designed to offer mechanical ventilations and have a number of choices for establishing exact air flow parameters for every affected person’s wants,” Krawchuk defined. 

As well as, a ventilator would complement resuscitation efforts and supply paramedics with the flexibility to concentrate on diagnostics and coverings in life-threatening emergencies. 

“These items will help our paramedics tremendously when responding to and treating sufferers in cardiac arrest,” she added.