Starting Friday, the Cole County Emergency Medical Services Department will be using a new tool to help with emergency medical calls involving young patients.
The Handtevy Pediatric Treatment System will be on all advanced life support ambulances and ALS response vehicles.
The Cole County Commission approved purchasing 13 of these devices in 2018 for $17,035. This money also paid to train EMS personnel on these systems.
Cole County Emergency Medical Services Chief Matthew Lindewirth said the EMS staff have undergone specific training requirements to use the Handtevy system and are now certified.
The Handtevy system is an age-based pediatric resuscitation system that helps EMS personnel determine how much medication a child needs in an emergency based on age and weight. The system is contained in one bag with all the equipment needed for treatment.
"One of the most stressful situations for EMS personnel are serious or life-threatening pediatric emergencies," Lindewirth said. "This system reduces that stress and helps greatly reduce the likelihood of a medication error and increase successful patient outcomes."