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CPAP units will help local ambulance calls |
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Sometimes having the right connections can be quite beneficial. That certainly held true for the Caledonia Area Ambulance Service (CAAS) recently, when it received two continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) units from Tri-State Ambulance of La Crosse.
CAAS Director Mike Tornstrom works for Tri-State Ambulance. Earlier this year when Tri-State purchased some new equipment, they had two CPAP units available for the offering. Tornstrom, being fully aware of the many positive applications of the CPAPs, asked Tri-State if they might be willing to donate the equipment to Caledonia…which is exactly what happened.
“The CPAP units will be a big help for us,” Tornstrom said last week. “There are many times when having this system, which provides a continuous mix of air and oxygen to a patient, brings a patient around, minimizing the need for a breathing tube.
“The CPAP system increases the volume of oxygen forced into the lungs, opens up the capillaries, and dramatically improves breathing for a distressed patient,” Tornstrom continued. “With these units we can provide immediate medical treatment to a patient suffering from respiratory issues.”
The CAAS staff has undergone a four-hour training course on the use of the CPAP system, and has a unit in each of its two ambulances. With the portable oxygen tank the CAAS has, the CPAP units become portable and can be taken into homes, other buildings, and emergency situations.
The estimated cost of the two units is $1,200.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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