CROWN POINT The Crown Point Fire & Rescue Department's new ambulance is equipped with the latest in patient care technology.

The ambulance is equipped with an electronic arm that will lift a cot holding a patient into the ambulance.

The power load system eliminates back issues with firefighters from lifting the cot and also eliminates potential drops off the ambulance. The system will unload a patient as well.

"It is cool," Fire Chief Dave Crane said. "It also secures the cot in the truck a lot better than our standard mounting brackets. The cot stays intact during an accident."

Crane said the system will soon be a required safety standard.

"We wanted to get ahead of it," he said. "I hope to take our other ambulances and upgrade them."

The ambulance itself is custom-made for the department, with cabinets arranged how the department wanted them.

"It makes it a little more user-friendly," Crane said.

The department also recently received new cardiac monitors and CPR machines called the LUCAS 3 Chest Compression System. According to the LUCAS 3 website, experimental studies show that the mechanically controlled LUCAS compressions are able to sustain a higher blood flow to the brain and heart compared to manual compressions.

Although the department has not had them long enough to gather good data Crane said other departments nationwide said seen an increase of about 38 percent of return of spontaneous circulation where the heart "actually starts back again and gives you pulses back."

Crane said in order to get return of spontaneous circulation there has to be good quality CPR with few interruptions. One example is issues with performing good quality CPR when off-loading patients from a multiple story structure.

"This machine allows that to continue even while going downstairs," he said.

The department has five of the machines on four ambulances and one fire engine that is also a life support engine.

"We have paramedics on everything," Crane said. "So if all of our ambulances are busy or whatever happens we have all the advanced life support equipment on the fire truck. There is no delay in starting patient care."

Crane said the only reason the department is able to acquire new technology is "the city takes good care of us and supports us."

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Crown Point's new ambulance provides latest technology - nwitimes.com