Two of the 12 paramedics in the county will receive a stipend for completing Certified Critical Care.

“These two individuals have taken additional courses to become certified in this area to better provide patient care at a more advanced level than a regular paramedic,” said Lucia Mackintosh Castro of Pecos County Emergency Medical Services.

The Pecos County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a request from local EMS to pay a stipend of $200 for these two paramedics on March 28. The certification allows Emergicon to charge Specialty Care Treatment for patients.

“With the credentials of these two paramedics, Emergicon is able to charge depending on the level of treatment from these paramedics, which is at a higher level,” Mackintosh Castro explained.

Patients who might require Specialty Care transports can include post-cardiac arrest, head injuries, heart failure, hemorrhaging, respiratory arrest, severe hypertension, threats to fetal and maternal life, and major trauma.

This stipend will be effective for the May 15 pay period.

Commissioners also approved a request from EMS to use J Regional Advisory Council (JRAC) funds to purchase additional Lucas devices, continuous chest compression systems, required for each ambulance.

Pecos County previously provided EMS funds for two Lucas devices, one located in Iraan and the other in Fort Stockton.

But that has not been enough.

“One of the things we have encountered is that if that Lucas device is on a transport, let’s say they are going to Odessa Medical Center and they are taking a Lucas in case they need it,” Mackintosh Castro explained, “If we have a patient here in cardiac arrest, we are not able to use that device. We are having to use the hands-on. We have found out numerous times that we’ve had two cardiac arrests on opposite sides of town at the exact same time.”

Mackintosh Castro said that she’s been wanting to provide each ambulance with a Lucas device since the EMS is covering all of Pecos County.

“Pecos County is 110 miles on the interstate,” Mackintosh Castro said. “So, there have been several times that we needed the device, but it’s been on another truck being utilized.”

The two devices will cost $37,815.87, which will come out of the JRAC funds that have already been provided.