"My name is Matt Schmitz, and I am the Director for the Adams Area Ambulance. I have been an EMT in Adams for the past eleven years and I have been a paramedic on another service for the past eight years. This program has had great impact on our service in providing us with the equipment needed to best treat our patients
Recently, we were able to get out new X-series monitors that are used on every call we go on, but they also play an even bigger role in the event of a cardiac arrest. A few months ago, this was put to the test, and between our well trained volunteers reacting quickly and the best equipment on hand, we were able to save someone's life. For me, this is only the third time I have been a part of a CPR save and the first time I have been a part of this outside of my full-time job. Being in a small town, it feels completely different to save a life of someone I see on a regular basis while driving around town. This patient was able to come down to our station and meet with myself and another crew member only a couple months after his cardiac arrest. To see a patient that at one point had as poor of an outlook as he did, walk in and have little to no deficits, is truly a life changing event. Recently at one of our board meetings, myself and the other crew members involved in this call were presented with a Life Saver Award. ​
Through my work in my full-time job as a paramedic, I continually learn about new procedures and tools that we are also able to use at the BLS level. I always work to provide our crew with the most up to date information and training that EMTs are allowed to do in Minnesota.  Since that recent cardiac arrest, there has been a new protocol developed and available at the BLS level. This new protocol involves monitoring ETCO2 on cardiac arrest patients. Currently, we do not have the capabilities to do this monitoring built into our monitors and they need an additional module upgrade added to them.

The two biggest things needed on volunteer ambulances is continued quality training and the ability to equip our service with up-to-date equipment. Doing both of these can be difficult for a small-town service like ours due to limited funding. The program provided by the United Way plays a huge role in the Adams Area Ambulance Service by helping to provide the best possible care to our patients."
-Adams Area Ambulance Service

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