News & Announcements

Rutherford County EMS Deploys New Cardiac Monitors

 The staff at Rutherford County EMS is proud to announce that we will be stocking each of our five ALS ambulances and four quick response vehicles with new cardiac monitor/defibrillators on Friday morning. The county was forced to purchase the new life saving devices after the manufacturer of the currently utilized model discontinued it without offering a replacement option. Cardiac monitor/defibrillators are a requirement by the North Carolina Office of EMS for paramedic level services, making their replacement a necessity instead of an option. The new monitors going in-service on Friday are the Lifepak 15s manufactured by Physio Control Inc.

              Physio Control is a well-known brand in the prehospital community, and has a reputation for durability and dependability. Lifepak 15 monitors offer the latest advancements in pre-hospital emergency medical care, including the ability to monitor carbon monoxide levels in the blood stream. The ability to monitor these levels on patients suspected of carbon monoxide poisoning is something fairly new in the pre-hospital setting; and is not an ability the we had prior to now. You can view a full description of the Lifepak 15 and its capabilities here.
                We would like to thank the Board of Commissioners, County Manager Steve Garrison, and Finance Director Paula Roach for assisting us in the acquisition of this life-saving equipment. Rutherford County EMS employees strive to provide the best emergency care possible to the citizens and visitors of Rutherford County; this equipment ensures that we will be able to continue that mission.