Iowa ambulance agency awarded $25K grant

The Hawk Eye

MEDIAPOLIS, Iowa — Mediapolis Community Ambulance has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the American Heart Association for 12-lead ECG equipment.

The grant is part of "Mission Lifeline," an American Heart Association program aimed at improving the care system for heart attack patients in rural Iowa. The money was used to purchase a pair of cardiac monitors to replace two older models and two 12 lead transmission devices. After the grant and trade-ins, the ambulance service paid $19,000 for the equipment. Their value is about $70,000.

The new equipment makes it easier to transmit ECG information from the patient's home to Great River Medical Center, saving time and heart muscle. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics also will be able to use the monitors to track CO2 and blood pressure.

"Mission: Lifeline" is possible by a $6.1 million in funding including a $4.6 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Additional funding came from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, Principal Financial Group Foundation, UnityPoint Health-Des Moines, the Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association and other supporters.

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