Saturday night the Chestnut EMS unit hosted a soup and sandwich
supper at the firehouse in Chestnut. Members of the community and
surrounding area attended the event to show their support of the
unit, just as they have done in the past.
In 2010, the unit's fundraising efforts raised $10,000 to
purchase a cardiac monitor that is one more piece of lifesaving
equipment available when a call sends members of the unit to a
medical emergency or accident site. The goal was reached by
organizing simple community events such as bake sales, soup and
chili suppers, and selling cookbooks.
"Our unit has two first responders and eight EMTs, and I am a
paramedic," EMS supervisor Cathy Gobleman explained. "We are a BLS,
a Basic Life Support Agency. We cannot transport, but our unit
members can respond to a 911 call and care for someone from the time
of our arrival until LCPA takes over care. We can
take patient history and get vital readings, give oxygen, and 5
medications.
"Now, with the monitor, we can connect it to the patient and have
a reading
and we can call the paramedics enroute and give them
a report while they are en
route. Those are critical minutes. If we have the initial
information entered on the medical form, and procedures completed or
under way, it saves time so paramedics can address the injury or
condition immediately."
The intubation mannequin is a lifelike figure equipped with
features that respond to the actions of a medical team during
training. The "lungs" are audible when cardiopulmonary resuscitation
is applied, and the throat is open to allow the placement of an
airway device. There are other features that can be added, but each
one increases the cost. The number of training features the Chestnut
EMS unit can order will depend on the amount of funds it can raise.
A goal of $10,000 will buy one with multiple features.
"Mount Pulaski is really generous about letting us use its
mannequin," Gobleman said, "but if we want to train or practice, it
has to be when the equipment is available. Also, I am a licensed EMS
instructor. Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District and Logan County
Paramedic Association rotate teaching EMT classes.
I am
qualified to teach the EMT-B course and I teach continuing education
to EMT-B’s in our local area.
but I'd like to take a turn and teach here. I can also
teach CPR. I would be willing to teach a first responder
course in Chestnut but only if there is enough local interest."
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Gobleman is employed by the state of Illinois and is a part-time
paramedic for LCPA. But she and the entire membership of Chestnut
EMS and the fire department are volunteers, just like those from
other small towns and rural fire protection districts. They depend
on community support in order to provide response services the small
towns and surrounding countryside need. They also depend on
volunteers from those towns and rural areas to join the EMS units
and fire departments. Chestnut EMS is currently looking for
additional members.
The next Chestnut EMS fundraising event will be a bake sale on
Nov. 19 and 20, during the same hours as Christmas on Vinegar Hill
in Mount Pulaski. The sale will be at the Chestnut Fire Department,
and the location will be included on the map for Mount Pulaski's
participating sites.
If anyone is interested in purchasing a Chestnut EMS cookbook for
$10, they may contact Cathy Gobleman at 217-796-3684 or pick one up
at the Bank of Chestnut, 217-796-3305, during regular bank hours.
The keepsake book is a variety of family recipes submitted by
members of the EMS unit.
[By MARLA BLAIR]
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