Annual Child Safety Seat Inspection to be Held

    ​On May 19, 2021, in celebration of Emergency Medical Services for Children's Day, Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps will hold a free child safety seat inspection. The aim of the event is to ensure all parents and caregivers understand how to choose an appropriate seat for the child’s age and size and how to install the seat correctly. Caregivers will be educated on how to select a child restraint that will fit their child, fit their vehicle, and be used correctly every time.

    Getting safety information and car seat instructions to parents and caregivers are crucial to saving young lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger vehicles. Car and booster seats are one of the most important safety devices children use on a daily basis. According to the NHTSA, car fatalities are the leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old. Checked often, car and booster seats save lives.

    The event will be held on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps Station, 135 Park Road in Dingmans Ferry. The station is located at the intersection of Park Road & Myck Road in Delaware Township. No appointments are necessary. Participants may arrive anytime during the scheduled hours. All adults are asked to wear a face covering. During the event, Child Passenger Safety Technicians from the Pike County Highway Traffic Safety Program and Delaware Valley Emergency Services, will be on-site to help answer any questions. 

    Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) is accredited at the Expert-level under the state’s Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program, which recognizes emergency medical services agencies who provide a high level of care to pediatric patients. Events such as the child seat inspection are one of the ways DTVAC maintains this prestigious accreditation. If you are unable to attend this event and wish to have a car seat inspected you can make an appointment by calling DTVAC’s Passenger Safety Technician at (570) 828-2345 ext. 808.

DTVAC Receives Grant for CPR Devices

 DINGMANS FERRY, PA — Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) has announced it has received a grant award in the amount of $8,993.20 to help offset the cost of a chest compression device to help patients who suffer from cardiac arrest.  The device, called a LUCAS 3, is a mechanical CPR device used to help patients who suffer from a cardiac arrest, a severe medical condition which requires CPR. 

Mechanical CPR, provided by the LUCAS, has been implemented by many hospitals and emergency response agencies because it ensures perfect CPR is constantly being performed in accordance with the American Heart Association guidelines. The device with its accessories, costing almost $16 thousand dollars, allows EMTs to keep CPR going while a patient is being moved, even up or down stairs. It is also a safer way to do CPR when transporting a patient because EMTs can now be seat belted in the ambulance even if they have to transport a patient who requires CPR. Recently, the Department of Defense COVID-19 Practice Management Guide identified the LUCAS chest compression system as the best practice for managing patients in cardiac arrest to reduce the risk of exposure to care providers. In addition, the LUCAS also puts less of a physical strain on ambulance volunteers.  This is DTVAC’s second LUCAS device. Since 2017, DTVAC has used LUCAS devices on patients throughout the County including in Westfall, Blooming Grove, Shohola, and Dingman Townships. The new device, placed in service late last year has already been used to help save the life of a victim in a private community in Delaware Township. 

The grant funding was obtained through the Fire Company & Emergency Medical Services Grant Program administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner. DTVAC is always looking for volunteers to help respond to emergencies, fundraise, and help with administrative tasks. For more information about volunteer opportunities with DTVAC, contact (570) 828-2345 or email info@dtvac.org.