Southern Valley Fire and Rescue receive two new advanced life-saving units

Essentia Health aided in providing $40,000 and training

HORACE, N.D. (KVRR) — Southern Valley Fire and Rescue crews who arrive first on scene for medical emergencies will now be able to deliver more advanced level care to patients prior to ambulance arrivals.

“With the addition of the cardiac monitors, it was the final piece to the puzzle. We’re able to now take a deeper dive into treating our patients. And provide that much-needed information to the transport ambulance services and the local hospitals quicker. So that way, patient treatment can be determined sooner,” said Southern Valley Fire and Rescue Chief Chris Mahoney.

Thanks to Essentia Health, Southern Valley Fire and Rescue received $40,000 to purchase two advanced defibrillators and cardiac monitor units. The devices will provide real-time CPR feedback and track vital signs. Mahoney said the department decided to get these devices two years prior to evaluations of their needs.

“We did kind of a needs assessment, and we figured out that, to the best of our community, this was a good value add. So that we can at least get treatment started before the ambulance arrives. And that way it was less time on scene we had to spend, and we can get them quickly transported to the hospital,” said Mahoney.

Over the last four years, Southern Valley Fire and Rescue has seen an increase in calls by 33%.

“These are conditions where every second matters. So, the quicker we can deliver those therapies, the better,” said Dr. Christopher Anderson, Essentia Health West Market associate chief medical officer.

Currently, the team has two advanced EMTs and paramedics on staff and will be adding more to their team in the near future.

Southern Valley Fire and Rescue serves Horace, Briarwood, Hickson, Oxbow, Wild Rice, Prairie Rose, Frontier, and St. Benedict, as well as the townships of Stanley Township, Pleasant Township, and parts of Warren Township.