Lee EMS gets new state-of-the-art equipment

Photo provided Paramedic Slade Evans makes sure the ambulance is equipped with the required supplies and equipment.

By RANDY BURNS
Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

BISHOPVILLE – A new piece of equipment acquired by Lee County Emergency Medical Services has the potential to save lives.

EMS director Steven Scurry said the department has secured four EZ-IO power drivers that will enable paramedics to start an intravenous line on patients by inserting it directly into a bone.

Originally designed for military medical personnel, the IO (intraosseous infusions) units are becoming more prevalent in emergency medical services, Scurry said.

“There are three main types of IO units,” he said. “And two of the units are spring loaded. We went with a power driver. We did a lot of research on this and we found that the power driver is easier to use and the success rate is much higher than the other IO devices on the market.”

Scurry said emergency medical responders often find situations when it is difficult to start an IV on someone.

“The patient could be losing a lot of blood and his veins have gone flat or there may be some other reason a vein is hard to locate, such as dehydration, diabetic coma or renal failure,” he said.

And often, time is of the essence in medical emergencies, Scurry said.

“We don’t want to lose a patient because we can’t get an IV started,” he said. “The EZ-IO allows us immediate vascular access by shooting directly into the bone.”

The power drivers, made possible by a $4,800 state Department of Health and Environmental Control grant, will be housed in the four ambulances located in Bishopville, Lynchburg and Red Hill.

The only recurring cost will be the needles, which cost $95 each, Scurry said.

“The drivers themselves are good for 750 insertions and have a shelf life of 10 years,” he said. “This is an invaluable piece of equipment. We got them in last week and we’re very excited.”

The department’s 18 paramedics will receive training in the use of the power driver.

“In the pre-hospital environment, emergency medical providers are finding that the IO is immediate, safe and effective venous access,” Scurry said.

The battery-powered IO has a hollow, drill-tipped needle set that can be used on patients from infants to the elderly.

“We have different size needles depending on the weight of the patient,” Scurry said.



Contact Staff Writer Randy Burns at rburns@theitem.com or (803) 491-4533.