The Chestnut Emergency Medical Service was shut down Tuesday after EMS inspectors from St. John's Hospital in Springfield discovered scores of violations concerning equipment and documentation.

 

 

 

 

Medical runs in the Chestnut area are being provided by Mount Pulaski EMS instead of the Chestnut volunteers, according to Mount Pulaski EMS supervisor Stan Anderson. Chestnut EMS operates from the Mount Pulaski Rural Fire Protection District's satellite station in Chestnut,

Among the numerous reasons the service was indefinitely discontinued, Anderson said medical supplies were outdated, not only by days or months, but by years. And a bag containing medical supplies, such as bandages, was lined with black mold and the mold also covered many of the supplies, he said.

"The bag was covered with mold on the inside, affecting all the bandages and the supplies on the inside of it," Anderson said.

"It's not something that happened overnight."

Anderson said the inspectors found that the responding EMS vehicle was not the same vehicle licensed to respond to medical calls.

The Mount Pulaski fire district's trustees retired the licensed unit in July when the vehicle could not be stored in a heated facility, as required by state law. The trustees advised Chestnut EMS responders to modify their station's pumper engine, transfer the necessary equipment and use it as their EMS vehicle.

Anderson said the pumper was modified and was being used for EMS calls, but the licensing was not changed.

Other violations included:

 

Outdated equipment such as expired bandages, sterile water, defibrillator pads and medicinal supplies for diabetic patients.

"(For) multiple years they were expired," Anderson said.

 

Batteries, such as AA and C batteries, had leaked and caused corrosion.

 

Oxygen regulators were not functioning.

 

Not having required materials, including splints, an obstetric kit, sterile water and burn sheets.

 

Having medical supplies the unit was not licensed to carry. Anderson said their EMS supplies included intravenous drugs and needles.

"Logan County Paramedics are the only one's licensed to carry that in Logan County," he said.

 

Records documenting training and reports for previous medical calls were not available.

 

Not making available the EMS license to each of its EMS responders, who are required to have access to the license 24 hours a day.

Anderson said the inspectors shut down the service at about 11 a.m. Tuesday after inspecting EMS rigs at the Mount Pulaski station and the Chestnut station.

"Mount Pulaski (EMS) will be covering all medical calls in that area along with Logan County Paramedics," he said.

He said that service will continue until the Chestnut volunteers make necessary changes and St. John's EMS investigators re-examine their vehicle and supplies to ensure they meet requirements.

"It's until they bring things back up to code themselves."

Chestnut EMS responders were unavailable late this morning for comment.