EMS PREPARATIONS Kanawha County Ambulance Workers Prepare For Cold Emergencies
Reported by: Bethany Simmons
Web Producer: Bethany Simmons
Also Contributing: Elizabeth Noreika
Reported: Jan. 23, 2013 7:28 AM EST
Updated: Jan. 23, 2013 8:50 AM EST
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
The bitter cold temperatures around our area can be dangerous, and local EMS workers are ready for any cold weather emergency calls they may need to respond to during this time.
Ambulances at the Kanawha County Ambulance Authority are stocked with supplies to help in any sort of cold weather emergency.
IV packs are placed in heaters so they don't shock the body when used, and heating packs are in vast supply in the event they need to be used to heat up those whose body temperatures have dropped dangerously low.
"Any medical problems that a person has can also be present during cold weather, such as if you have a car wreck and your car is not running and it gets cold, any other medical problems that you have that are existent are going to be compounded by cold weather," Mike Jarrett
with Kanawha County EMS said.
As of Tuesday evening, emergency workers said they had not responded to any cold weather calls, but they are ready. Surprisingly, the most hypothermia cases they see are in the fall and spring, when people are not prepared for chilly temperatures.
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Bethany Simmons
