Fire & Emergency Services

The Fire & Emergency Services Department at Hempfield Township works in all areas of public safety, including coordinating with the fire departments, the state police, as well as areas of traffic safety, fire codes, and safety issues associated with workers’ compensation.

News

Rescue 14 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Child Seat Safety & CPR Classes

Are Your Children Riding Safely in Your Car? Have a certified child passenger safety technician check your child seat installation in your vehicle at no cost. Call 724-523-5609 for an appointment today. Monthly CPR classes are also available.

Mutual Aid EMS Reports Remarkable Increase in Patients Surviving Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Over the past year Mutual Aid Ambulance Service has seen a remarkable increase in patients who are surviving sudden cardiac arrest. These results are largely due to the implementation of the new American Heart Association CPR standards along with advances in cardiac arrest management and post cardiac arrest care that have been developed by Mutual Aid in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh through the largest cardiac arrest study ever done.

Advances in Treatment

Annually over 350,000 people in the U.S. suffer sudden cardiac arrest, this remains the number one cause of death in Americans. Of those people who do suffer sudden cardiac arrest less than 7% survive the event. Mutual Aid Ambulance has been involved in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) since 2005, through this research project we have added new ways of treating cardiac arrests that have lead to a 50% increase in patient survival within our system. These advances include an increase the number of chest compressions, a way of managing the airway allowing faster support of a non-breathing patient, and faster access to the patients vascular system which in turn allows faster administration of potentially life-saving drugs.

The delivery of an electrical shock (defibrillation) is also a very important part of the cardiac arrest management puzzle. To increase the availability of this treatment Mutual Aid Ambulance secured a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to purchase and distribute over 120 brand new AED’s to Police and Fire Departments throughout Westmoreland County.

Education & Awareness

If you or someone you know experience chest pain or discomfort, or you find someone unconscious, you should immediately call 911, an ambulance will be dispatched and the 911 operator will give you instructions until the EMS crews arrive.

Public education and awareness are also very important in helping patients in cardiac arrest. Mutual Aid Ambulance Service offers CPR classes open to the public on the second Saturday of every month at our Greensburg Headquarters. To learn more contact us at 724-837-6134 or visit the Mutual Aid website.