Ambulances and Equipment

Advances in today’s ambulances and lifesaving equipment have made Emergency Medical Providers such as Harwinton Ambulance far more effective in treating our patients.  The days of the “load and go” approach have long since passed and been replaced with highly trained medical personnel and the right equipment allowing us to do a much better job in stabilizing our patients and getting them to appropriate hospital.  Our service has always strived to stay on the cutting edge of technology in order to provide the best service to our community.   

Below is just a sample of some of our equipment with a short description of the function it performs.  

Ambulances:

We utilize two ambulances to provide for the EMS needs of our community.  This allows us to handle multiple calls simultaneously or to handle multiple patients at a single incident such as a car accident.  It also ensures that we always have an ambulance available during periods of maintenance or repair.  The ambulances are rotated on a monthly basis through the “frontline” and “backup” positions.  This allows us to wear the vehicles more evenly and provides downtime for maintenance.  The life expectancy for each ambulance is roughly 14 years and they are purchased on opposing 7 year cycles.

Unit #0661 – Built on a 2009 Ford F450 chassis by Eastford Fire Rescue.  This is a type III ambulance

Unit #0662 – Built on a 2001 Ford F350 chassis by PL Custom.  This is a type III ambulance.

Stretchers – In 2010 thanks to the generosity of the Thomaston Savings Bank we were able to purchase two Stryker battery powered stretchers, one for each of our ambulances.  The combined cost of these two stretchers was $22,000. TSB’s grant of $10,639.20 greatly assisted in our ability to purchase these units.  Many ambulance services have begun to integrate these powered stretchers in their inventory as it greatly reduces the potential for costly back injuries.

Defibrillators – Since 1989 Harwinton EMS has utilized defibrillator units for patients experiencing cardiac arrest.  We were one of the first non-paramedic level services in the area to purchase these devices.  Our original unit was purchased back in 1989 for $6,000.  We currently use Cardiac Science Units purchased in 2008 on our ambulances and were aquired at a cost of $2,550 per unit.  As these units are replaced we rotate them into the first responder inventory so our members have the ability to get a defibrillator on scene quickly.  There are currently nine first responders in town that carry these devices in their vehicles.  American Heart Association studies indicated that the faster a patient in cardiac arrest can be defibrillated in the field, the more likely there is to be positive outcome.

Laptop w/EMS charts software – Each ambulance is outfitted with a Panasonic Toughbook laptop.  The primary purpose is to complete our patient run forms.  These computers are tied into the statewide EMS charts system which standardizes medical run reporting.

IV equipment – This equipment allows us the ability to start Intravenous lines (IVs) which are critical to patient care, especially in a trauma situation.  When patients are experiencing blood loss, IVs allow us to replace the volume they are missing and slow down or prevent the onset of shock.

This is only a small sample of the lifesaving equipment we maintain on our ambulances.