A Few Clouds
Temp: 65 F (18 C)
Humidity: 51
Heat Index: NA F
Fair
Temp: 65 F (18 C)
Humidity: 56
Heat Index: NA F
newscasts - click to shrink
weau extended - click to shrink
If viewing with a cell phone
NewsCenter13 Poll
Will you pay attention to Brett Favre's performance with the Jets this weekend?

Yes
No


SkyWarn Doppler Radar
Search WEAU - HomePage for:

Medical Instruction During 911 Calls Save Email Print
Posted: 10:01 PM Jan 17, 2008
Last Updated: 10:01 PM Jan 17, 2008

A | A | A

If you have an emergency, dispatchers can get help started your way. But if it's a matter of life and death, an expert on the other end of the line, could save your life.

And that's exactly what La Crosse County is trying to do.

For the past two years the county, Gundersen Lutheran and Tri-State Ambulance have been working on a new emergency medical dispatch plan.

"A zero response time so even if people haven't responded in their vehicle, you've got someone on the phone who is specifically trained to provide you with medical assistance you can do yourself," says Jim Klock with Gundersen Lutheran.

Klock says it won't cost the taxpayer a thing, because Gundersen Lutheran already has the facilities and the capability to provide the service for free.

"The combined investment was about $250,000 to get it started and then there will be some on-going personnel costs because we continue to train and retrain dispatchers."

La Crosse County administrator Steve O’Malley says the E.M.D. plan will likely be approved by the county board.

"For a community our size it really is the standard of care that should be there. That when you call in you ask for an ambulance to come, that there is someone on the phone with medical knowledge to give you instructions as you're trying to help the person needing the care."

O’Malley says the plan will benefit everyone in the county, and ultimately, it will save lives.

"Certainly anyone who accesses emergency medical care and it gives recognition that our community tries to provide the best care that we can for our citizens."

Klock says leaders in Vernon, Houston and Winona County have already started talking about how to expand the program to their area.

"I think aside from the two or three counties that are interested, I think once the area that we provide service to, from an ambulance perspective, will come back to us and say 'Can we have this service as well?'"

Klock says the emergency dispatch service plan could begin in just a few months.

More Stories
Seniors' Farmers Market Vouchers Still Available

Autism Awareness Celebrated in Eau Claire

Remembering Shawn Loescher

Local Band to Appear on Late Night Talk Show

Hunters Should Find Success

Firefighters Inducted Into Hall of Fame

String of Burglaries in Clark and Jackson Counties

Man Convicted of Hanging Dog

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Sponsored Headlines