North Judson Fire Department to Add New Defibrillator

 
 

A technology upgrade may help the North Judson-Wayne Township Volunteer Fire Department save more lives.

Fire Chief Joe Leszek asked the North Judson Town Council Monday to approve the purchase of a new Automated External Defibrillator, but he says they still plan to keep the one they already have. “Our current defibrillator isn’t going to be supported by Starke County EMS anymore,” he said. “And with the pads we have acquired, our plans it to take that defibrillator and put it on Truck 1, and then the new defibrillator with the pads that will be supported by the Starke County EMS, so we don’t have to purchase those anymore, will be on our Tahoe, which is our first truck out for medicals. So with the approval of this, we’ll have two trucks outfitted with defibrillators, that we could roll simultaneously.”

He says that would be especially useful during larger-scale emergencies, like car accidents and structure fires. Defibrillators are used to restart a proper heart rhythm in people suffering cardiac arrest.

The North Judson Town Council unanimously approved the purchase of the Lifepak AED for a cost of $1,625.