ALCONA — The Alcona County EMS replaced eight-year-old cardio monitor equipment for an estimated cost of $150,000 in December. The package includes five physio-control cardio monitors and two smaller “light packs,” both of which will be placed in the EMS classroom, as well as the county building.

Alcona County EMS Director Scott Rice spoke during the Alcona County Board of Commissioners meeting and told commissioners he would like to implement an alarm system in the courthouse where the larger cardio monitor will be to alert anyone in the building when someone might be in need of help.

“I took it upon myself and went out and found some new monitors because the cardiac monitors we’ve had were eight years old,” he said. “These are brand new. They were just manufactured last month and made in the USA. It’ll do everything our current monitors do plus some. It has carbon monoxide detectors. Let’s say we have a house fire victim, you put it on and it detects the amount of carbon monoxide in your system.”

Rice said there was a nationwide recall on the old equipment because of electrical issues that could prevent the device from operating properly. According to Rice, this could produce the wrong electrical shock. There also are known battery connection issues.

“It depends on the equipment and age and how much it gets used, but generally these types of monitors are good for five to eight years,” Rice said. “The Alpena Fire Department went through the same thing. Their cardiac monitors fell under the same recall and had to buy new equipment.”

Rice told the commissioners they have a lease of five years with this company where they can purchase the equipment they have after the lease runs out for $1 a piece or upgrade to new equipment at full price. He said it depends on how the equipment fares and the new technology that might be available by then.

“I’ve used this machine for the past six years under a different employer and it is a great machine,” he said. “It’s tough and it’s durable, I didn’t get the military spec grade but this is pretty close.”

The five new cardio monitors will replace the old machines in ambulances throughout the county.

Beth Gohs can be reached via email at bgohs@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.