COMBINED LOCKS — Public Safety officials are releasing more information today about a response Thursday for an employee who suffered a medical emergency at a town of Buchanan car wash.
Fire officials said they generally don’t release information regarding medical calls, but often social media posts and the accompanying speculation and rumors can have damaging effects to family and friends who read them.
According to a news release from Ken Wiedenbauer, Fire & EMS Chief Combined Locks Fire & Rescue, an employee at Clearwater Car Wash who was suffering a medical emergency was found by a fellow employee.
911 dispatch was contacted immediately upon discovery.
Through standardized EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) questioning, 911 Dispatchers determined that the patient was PNB (Pulseless, non-breathing) and dispatched appropriate resources, including EMS responders from Combined Locks, Buchanan and Kimberly.
The news release notes that for critical calls such as PNB, drowning, electrocution, choking and other immediate life-threats, all 3 communities have had a long-standing agreement to dispatch all 3 agencies simultaneously. This ensures that anyone qualified with medical training and equipment who may be close are automatically dispatched.
After the radio dispatch had been sent out, EMS personnel from Combined Locks/Buchanan were on scene within 1 minute. This was due to them just clearing another call at a neighboring business.
On arrival, a male employee was found under a vehicle in an oil change pit.
The patient was not trapped or otherwise inaccessible, just in a tight space in a basement type setting, according to the news release.
Resuscitation efforts by EMS and Sheriff’s Deputies from Buchanan and Combined Locks were immediately started, including early defibrillation.
Due to the patients’ location, Incident Command requested an emergency response of 2 engine companies (one from Combined Locks and one from Buchanan) for manpower for lifting and carrying assistance only.
While continuing resuscitation efforts, the patient was transferred from the oil change pit in the basement to the ambulance cot on the ground floor, and subsequently into the ambulance.
The patient was transported to a local hospital by Gold Cross Ambulance with our personnel assisting in transport.
No other information will be released regarding this call or patient condition.
