SCRANTON, Pa. — There's a big red bag on board the Special Operations vehicle for Pennsylvania Ambulance, and it's not just extra medical supplies.
Bruce Beauvais from Pennsylvania Ambulance says every time they respond to a fire, this kit will go with them. Inside is equipment to check for carbon monoxide levels in a victim's bloodstream and the air around them, along with an antidote for hydrogen cyanide poisoning, which can happen when you inhale too much smoke.
"We had an idea of what it was for, but we didn't realize that it had a good implication for use in structure fires. We thought maybe for chemical fires and stuff like that, but we what we didn't realize was all the different types of chemicals that burn, and modern-day furniture and modern-day flooring that actually pose a greater issue than, say, a chemical fire, just a regular structure fire, so we thought it's a no-brainer," Beauvais said.
In January, crews were battling a fire on Oak Street in Old Forge when a firefighter had hydrogen cyanide poisoning from inhaling smoke. He was given the antidote at a nearby hospital. That's when area fire chiefs suggested the ambulance company invest in this lifesaving equipment.
"We did not have this kit at the time, and had we had it, we would have been able to better resuscitate the firefighter," Beauvais said.
Pennsylvania Ambulance paid about $6,500 for the kit – a hefty price but worth it. Having the antidote available could be crucial when every second counts.
"It's going to speed up the process of treatment for anybody, a firefighter or a victim pulled from a structure fire, and getting the care they need right then and there, instead of having to get that care administered at the hospital, which happened at that incident."
Luckily, there hasn't been a need to use the antidote at a fire yet, but first responders are thankful that if they need it, they know it's there.
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