Dawson County Emergency Services is proud to present two new pre-hospital monitors that will greatly enhance the delivery of care to the citizens of Dawson County.

The first, a non-invasive blood pressure machine, is also capable of monitoring oxygen saturation of the blood. “The Casmed 740 is the only monitor of its kind to be approved for the rigors and motion found in the back of an ambulance,” stated Dawson County Firemedic Barry Quarles. “The monitor can be programmed to take blood pressure at certain intervals, freeing the paramedic’s hands to perform other life saving measures,” he continued. “The pulse oximetry option measures the amount of oxygen in the patient’s blood which helps the paramedic gauge the appropriate oxygen therapy for a patient and effectiveness of treatments given.” This machine has both adult and pediatric capabilities, according to Quarles.

The second machine, the Capnograph, is a quantitative End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide monitor. “This state of the art machine is endorsed by the American Heart Association as the gold standard in confirming correct endotracheal (breathing) tube placement,” Quarles said. “It measures the amount of CO2 in the air that the patient exhales and assists us in regulation of assisted ventilations.” Useful applications include patients with head injuries, asthma patients and anyone else with difficulty breathing.

“With the addition of this equipment we upgraded the County’s capabilities to provide care up to the level of a mobile intensive care unit,” said Quarles. “We are proud to present them to the citizens of Dawson County.”