Photo by Niamh Coomey From left to right: Zoll’s Rod Cheney, WFD Chief Jim Blazer, Andrew Yahn, Chuck Ransom, Dawson Kemp, Jarred Biehl, Rick Brown, Chuck Baker, Jason Milton, Trevor Adkins, Zoll instructor Terry Kathie and ACR Founder Joe Powell.

WHEELING — Several Wheeling firefighters and EMS staff received clinical life-saving awards Thursday for being the first to use the latest version of Zoll’s life-saving CPR equipment to resuscitate someone who went into cardiac arrest last summer.

Zoll is a company that innovates cardiopulmonary and respiratory medical technology, like the mechanical CPR device that aids first responders by taking manual steps out of resuscitation efforts.

The Wheeling Fire Department was trained on how to use the latest version of Zoll’s mechanical CPR equipment in late July, only two weeks before using it in the field for the first time and saving a woman’s life in August.

“That [training and equipment] was a significant investment that this patient received dividends from,” Zoll Regional Manager Rod Cheney said.

Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier said the department previously had an earlier version of one of the CPR devices, but had to share it among the staff. Now, there are more devices available and the newest version is more compact with better features, he said.

The advanced device combined with the crew’s work that day was able to save a life, he said.

“Our crews work hard and they’re out there every day doing their best for everybody in the city and we try to give them the tools to make them more successful,” Blazier said. “So their efforts plus the most up-to-date equipment was a good fit that day.”

Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Founder Joe Powell said this story is why he works on medical equipment like the CPR device.

“It changes your life to know that someone went home today to spend another day with their family, to spend another Christmas, Thanksgiving, holiday, one more day with their family, it’s worth everything we do,” he said.

One of the benefits of the equipment is that it allows CPR to be conducted in places like stairwells, beds, or other areas where patients are often found and it may not be possible for them to be laid flat.

“They’re never in a wide-open space. So when [EMS staff] go to move that patient, this device says ‘whatever circumstances you’re faced with today, I’ll manage that for you and I’m going to continue to provide the most important medicine with our device,'” Cheney said.

The machine also saves time for first responders. Now, staff can do the same life-saving measures that would be done in the emergency room. Finding ways to do this work on-site has become a standard across the industry, Cheney said.

The device also takes the often grueling physical act of manual CPR out of the equation in life-threatening cardiac events and allows for consistent timing.

“The other thing this device does is it never gets tired. Because it is a very tiring motor skill to do mechanical CPR,” Cheney said.

The awards came as Fire Department staff were going through the first Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation training being offered in the state of West Virginia, a joint effort between the WFD and Ohio County Emergency Medical Services. The day-long course includes the most up-to-date information on cardiac arrest management and will be given in Charleston next, Blazier said.

EMS Coordinator Capt. Jason Milton, Capt. Chad Baker, Lt. Rick Brown, Fire Engineer Trevor Adkins, Firefighter Jarred Beihl, Paramedic Andrew Yahn, Firefighter Dawson Kemp, Chuck Ransom and Chief Jim Blazier were recognized on Thursday for their livesaving work.

“These folks do a great job out there and I’m glad we could recognize them today for their efforts,” Blazier said.