Vergennes Area Rescue Receives Lions’ Donation
At the last meeting of the Vergennes Lions Club, President Debbie Brace, presented a check for $2000 to the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad to help them acquire a Nitronox Field Unit for administering Nitrous Oxide for pain control. Tom Leeman talked about how this will replace, in large part, the need for using opiods for pain. Nitrous oxide is an analgesic well suited for short scene times and rescue environments because the administration is by inhalation, and is used for short-term treatment of minor to moderate pain, and serves as a bridge to other pain management options. Administration of nitrous oxide provides significant reduction in pain and anxiety, and it doesn’t require an IV. Leeman said that the unit costs about $3750 plus another $2250 for storage of the material. Normally, one canister would be used three to four times, but on long drives it could take two canisters. Having this unit will save the squad, and patients, money as well as reducing the need for addictive forms of pain control. Sara Rivers, VARS chief, thanked the club for being the first donors toward this effort. |
© Copyright The Valley Voice