During a response to a recent motorcycle accident, WPFD needed to get our patient to the nearest trauma center as soon as possible.  Motorcycle incidents especially can present the need for timely treatment because the chance for multiple injuries known and unknown are greater than when involved driver(s) and passengers are inside the confines of a more protected passenger compartment of the vehicle.  Occasions like this require us to quickly find the nearest suitable location to bring in a medical helicopter like Baptist Medflight or Air-Evac to a safe and accessible location complete the patient transfer from the ambulance to the med-evac chopper. We do this kind of stuff a lot more often than you might think.  If you have a large plot of land near a main road, don’t be surprised if we drive up to make a strange request to park a helicopter on you property. We won’t need it for long, but it sure would help out in a pinch. Here are some pictures of our helicopter landing zone “donated” by a helpful neighbor that permitted us to “borrow” his front yard.

Continue reading Do you mind if we park our helicopter here? →

West Pulaski Fire Department responds to just about any kind of emergency you can think of. Just like a municipal fire department, we respond to medical calls, vehicle accidents, rescue situations and a lot of other things that fall in between. Even though we are not that far from the big city of Little Rock, some of our incidents require rapid transport to a medical facility. You may have heard of a term referred to as the “Golden Hour”. This is the really short amount of time that requires an injured person to receive in-hospital treatment within 60 minutes or less.

When a serious incident happens, the clock really starts ticking at the moment the medical event, motor vehicle accident, or rescue event occurs, not when first responder’s arrive to help. Since WPFD is often on-scene first, we begin assessing well before the ambulance can arrive to take you to the hospital. If a medical or traumatic event occurs, we often make preparations to bring in a medical-support helicopter to cut down the time it takes to transport to the closest medical center. When seconds count most, a 5-minute ride by helicopter can drastically cut down the 20-30 minute ride by ambulance. This is how WPFD works to ensure our community gets the medical treatment they require within the “Golden Hour”.

To see some pictures from our recent medical helicopter training class hosted by Baptist MedFlight, follow this link to our training photos page. http://www.wpfirerescue.org/photo-galleries/training-photos/

The Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale hosted a Youth and Family 5K Trail Run/Walk on April 14th. West Pulaski Fire Department provided a medical support team of EMT’s and Medical First Responders to assist in this annual event. WPFD helps out each year for this great event that seems to really grow each year. 120+ runners of all ages turn out to run and walk one of the most scenic trails around that is located just a couple minutes away from “Downtown Ferndale”.  Luckily, no one required any medical assistance. Combine that with the great weather and you get a great day for a 5K.  WPFD looks forward to next years event! Here are a few pics from the 5K. Follow the link below for “more”….

Continue reading 4-H Youth & Family 5K Trail Run/Walk →