Ambulances within the Culver-Union Township EMS fleet will soon be outfitted with new cardiac monitors.
EMS Director Jeff Koon asked the Culver Town Council members to get two new cardiac monitors for the ambulances. The current monitors have control boards that have a version one software that cannot be updated.
“Basically, after the first of the year, if these things break, if they go bad, it’s basically a brick,” commented Koon. “It will not be able to be used anymore. We cannot get replacement parts for it anymore. It will not function at all. We can’t put a version four board in there or any other version. They’re specifically designed to work with that version of board that they put in there.”
Two new cardiac monitors can be paid for over three years at zero percent financing with Physio-Control. Koon said the first year payment would be $5,000, the second payment would be $7,500 and the third payment will be $23,000. There is no pre-payment penalty. The monitors should be good for the next seven years.
The first payment is due by the end of the year. Koon is asking for the funds for the first payment. Koon said he talked with Union Township Trustee Marlene Mahler who agreed to help with the first payment.
Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim said the first payment should be taken from the EMS Non-Reverting Gift Fund instead of an additional appropriation. The other two payments will be figured into the EMS budget in budget years 2022 and 2023.
The contract was approved with a unanimous vote.
