The Redlands Fire Department has deployed eight new laryngoscopes with fiber optic cameras, allowing them to deliver state of the art, cutting edge service to the Redlands community.
Laryngoscopes are on every frontline fire company and can be used on all adult respiratory arrest responses. This pioneering technology gives medics direct visualization of the patient’s vocal cords and records the intubation process so that it may be attached to the Electronic Patient Record.
What makes this state-of-the-art equipment so beneficial to the Redlands community is that it enables easier and faster intubation of the airway in a patient who isn’t breathing. The camera allows the paramedic to see the exact placement of the tube. The combination of visualization and recording provides a tremendous advantage to the paramedics and, ultimately, the patient. The recording is then transmitted straight to the hospital so the treating doctor can see exactly how the tube was placed facilitating better patient care. Video records can be reviewed for training and ongoing quality improvement purposes.
The Redlands Fire Department experiences approximately 50 calls each year in which this device will allow for better patient outcomes.