HUNTERTOWN, Ind. (WPTA) – Northwest Allen County first responders are now using a simple tool to treat heat stroke patients in extreme heat emergencies — a heat reduction container that uses ice and water to rapidly lower a patient’s internal body temperature.
How the tool works
Northwest Allen County Fire Protection District Training Captain Mitch Maisonneuve demonstrated the device, which involves placing a patient in the bag with ice and water to reduce their temperature before transport.
“We’re going to get IV fluids going, all our vital sets going. We’re going to contact the hospital and let them know what’s going on as soon as possible,” Maisonneuve said.
The tool is not used on routine calls. Firefighters deploy it only when a patient’s temperature is dangerously high.
EMS Chief Bryan Peterson said he learned about the training at a conference, where organizers cited a 100-percent survival rate when exertional heat stroke victims received cold-water immersion…