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Colo. FD wins grant to buy data transmission device for cardiac monitors

The device’s software will allow the Pueblo West Fire Department to transmit heart rhythm data securely to the ER

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The Pueblo West Fire Department has received a grant from the Pueblo West Women’s League to purchase software that will help speed up care for patients with cardiac issues.

Photo/Pueblo West, Colorado

Alexis Smith
The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. — The Pueblo West Fire Department is getting a new piece of medical equipment that will eliminate downtime for patients with cardiac issues, thanks to a grant from the Pueblo West Women’s League.

The Titan III Wifi Gateway software allows EMTs to transmit the cardiac monitoring rhythms to the hospital, Fire Chief Brian Caserta said.

“It’s not detection equipment,” Caserta noted. “But it gives us the ability to take the information that the heart monitor does collect and transports it with the patient to the hospital.”

A portable wireless data communication accessory, the Titan III provides secure patient data transmission, and is not visible to other devices on the WiFi network, which prevents unauthorized connection attempts.

This device only connects to an access point on the WiFi network when data has to be transmitted, and then disconnects a short time after transmission completion which enhances the security aspect of the system.

This equipment, Caserta said, has been around for years, but the department didn’t have enough funding to obtain one.

“This came up with our paramedics more than a year ago,” Caserta said. “Wanting to potentially look at the possibility of (adding the equipment to the department) and with the grant that Women’s League was able to give, we are now able to purchase that and put it on three different pieces of equipment.”

The Titan III is beneficial to the community, Caserta noted, because it provides data that can be critical in determining a patient’s heart problem and makes it more accessible to the doctors and nurses when the patient arrives at the ER.

Caserta said because of a 30-day turnaround time on orders for the Titan III, the department should have the equipment available to utilize within the next few months.

Without the donation, Caserta said the department would still be a step back from what technology has to offer.

“The bottom line is, once again the Pueblo West Women’s League has stepped up to help improve our community,” Caserta said. “The donation to get this equipment for our paramedics, is invaluable to the life saving skills they have and the ability for us to provide good patient care. Looking at the community standpoint, this is a very valuable tool that we are very blessed to have.”

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(c)2021 The Pueblo Chieftain (Pueblo, Colo.)

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