New device helps firefighters get quick help for CO victims

The volunteer fire companies of Bethany Beach, Selbyville and Roxana are now even better equipped to serve the community, with the addition of two RAD57 Carbon Monoxide Oximeters for each of the three stations. The hand-held meters are among the most aggressive pre-hospital diagnostic tools on the market, allowing fire and EMS response teams to identify carbon-monoxide poisoning in medical patients and firefighters operating on the scenes.

“The oximeters help us evaluate our own personnel [levels], as well as anyone who may be subject to carbon monoxide poisoning at the location,” said Graig Temple, EMS supervisor for the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

The tool is lightly clipped onto the fingertip and, within seconds, can assess the carbon monoxide level in an individual – a process that previously would take much longer.

“Before we had these,” said Temple, “individuals would need lab work done. Now, we can get a reading, non-evasively, right on the scene.”

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless toxic gas that, when inhaled in large amounts, can lead to severe health problems and even death. CO exposure is the leading cause of poisoning in the U.S. for the last century and can be attributed to failures and leaks from gas furnaces, gas hot-water heaters, gas appliances, small gasoline engines, barbecue grills, paint stripper, and portable and space-style gas heaters, as well as automobiles, campers and boats.

Each time firefighters and EMS responders arrive to a fire, they are exposed to the harmful gas, too.

“When you have an interior fire,” Temple said, “there is always the chance being exposed to toxic gases. Without these instruments, we would never be able to tell how dangerous the amount of carbon monoxide is in the body.”

Early detection from the instruments can help get those requiring immediate assistance the care and help they need, while firefighters and EMS responders can safely address the task at hand.

“We can quickly and efficiently obtain the numbers we need,” said Temple, “and look at an individual’s exposure limits.”

To prevent CO poisoning, local fire departments encourage the public to service gas appliances at least once a year and promote the installation of carbon-monoxide detectors in homes, workshops or other environments where the gas can accumulate. Batteries in carbon-monoxide detectors should be changed at the same time smoke detector batteries are replaced to ensure the best performance.

Once in contact with large amounts of the harmful gas, a subject can notice signs almost immediately. Flu-like symptoms will become noticeable, including headache, shortness of breath, vomiting, oxygen starvation, cardiac arrhythmias and an altered mental status. If left undetected and untreated, long-term affects of CO poisoning can lead to central nervous system failure, unconsciousness, seizures, shock, coma and death.

By working in a combined effort, the Bethany Beach, Roxana and Selbyville volunteer fire departments were able to acquire the instruments at a lower cost, and they now join the Sussex County Paramedics, and Lewes, Del., and Ocean City, Md., Fire Departments as local companies implementing these tools on their apparatus.

For more information, contact Graig Temple, EMS supervisor at Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company at (302) 539-7700, Roxana VFC Fire Chief Andy Johnson at (302) 436-2300, or Selbyville VFC EMS Captain Matt Sliwa at (302) 436-8802.