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EMS reports grant-funded ventilator replacements, laryngoscope reimbursements and FEMA application for narcotics safes
Summary
Cheltenham’s EMS chief said grant funds paid for three new ventilators (replacing units from 2004), state reimbursements covered video laryngoscope purchases, and the department has applied to FEMA for narcotics safes for ambulances and stations.
Cheltenham Township’s emergency medical service chief reported that grant funding has allowed the service to deploy three new ventilators and obtain state reimbursements for video laryngoscope purchases, and that staff applied for FEMA dollars to purchase narcotics safes for ambulances and stations.
“ We have deployed 3 new ventilators on our ambulances,” the EMS chief said, noting the prior ventilators dated to 2004 and were past their service life. The chief said the department had submitted applications and received funding this week and that the upgrades were intended to maintain equipment reliability and safety.
The EMS chief also said the department received state grant reimbursements for recent purchases of video laryngoscopes. The service has applied for FEMA funding for narcotics safes because existing safes are out of service life and no longer supported; staff said they wanted to replace them before failures occur.
Why it matters: New ventilators and updated airway equipment directly affect patient care in emergency responses; securing grant funding reduces local capital outlay. The FEMA application for narcotics safes addresses a regulatory and safety need for controlled-substance security on ambulances and in stations.
Next steps: The committee approved the EMS chief’s report; staff will pursue the FEMA grant and provide follow-up on procurement and installation schedules.
