The Mount Nittany Health Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team has added a new non-transport emergency services vehicle to its fleet; an advanced life support truck. The new 2022 Ford Expedition is a replacement vehicle for one that reached its end of life, going nearly 300,000 miles during its 10+ years in service.
The updated vehicle will enable the Mount Nittany Health EMS team to continue providing the gold standard in patient care. Rich Kelly, NREMT-P, Manager, Emergency Services, discussed the new addition: “It will allow us to continue providing the same exceptional advanced life support care we’ve been providing since 1987. The vehicle is newer and more reliable which is extremely beneficial to our patients and community we serve.”
The new four-wheel-drive Emergency Services vehicle arrived with several improvements that will enhance patient care in Centre County and the surrounding areas, including Huntington County and parts of Clinton County. It has a modernized exterior lighting system that provides perimeter lighting, allowing paramedics to move easily around the vehicle at night with greater safety thanks to enhanced visibility. It also has updated safety features, such as a state-of-the-art crash warning system, a backup camera, and an updated GPS system. The truck’s modernized radio gives the operating team the ability to communicate with all of the surrounding counties.
The new advanced life support truck has a mount with a fixed iPad that allows 911 information to directly transfer to paramedics and emergency responders. This feature is also critically important because it acts as a translation device for non-English speaking individuals. It connects with certified interpreters to allow the EMS team to provide the best possible care to everyone in the community.
While much of the technology in this new vehicle is more sophisticated than its retired counterpart, the main focus of the team that operates the vehicle remains the same: providing compassionate community care. This mission extends to the youngest and most vulnerable in the community. The YMCA of Centre County partnered with the Emergency Services team to provide each vehicle in the department’s fleet with a comfort backpack filled with a fleece blanket, teddy bear, coloring books, crayons and other small toys. These comfort packs help children who may have been in an accident or are in distress.
EMS squad vehicles, like this one, always accompany larger emergency vehicles, like ambulances, during crisis situations. Each non-transport EMS truck is outfitted with a licensure bag, trauma box, tool kit, and drug box, which has many of the same capabilities and tools as a small emergency department room. It also has a function that triggers stoplights, allowing for rapid response in emergency situations.
In total, Mount Nittany Health is fortunate to have three support vehicles and two ambulances, with a third American Emergency Vehicles (AEV) ambulance ordered with an anticipated delivery date of December 2024.
Mount Nittany Health is grateful to have an exceptional team of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers and emergency responders trained to assist in medical crisis situations.