SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital assisted in launching the Waupun Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Responder program in the City of Waupun with a $4,000 grant, along with medical oversight, in 2022.

The Waupun Fire Department began offering the new services in February 2022 as part of the overall Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. Emergency medical responders are dispatched to provide initial patient care until the ambulance arrives or assist paramedics at the scene.

The grant helped to cover equipment costs, including medical bags, airway management equipment, blood pressure cuff, stethoscopes, dressings/bandaging, rescue blankets, hot/cold packs, tourniquets, glucometers, splinting equipment, and pulse oximeters. 
“I am fortunate to have the opportunity to serve the community,” says Syed Mohiuddin, MD, SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital’s emergency medicine medical director, who provides medical oversight for the new program. “Seconds matter in life threatening conditions and to train and keep the first responders is critical to manage before the ambulance arrives.”

In the last year, the Waupun Ambulance District, which serves communities in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties, has experienced an 18% increase in 9-1-1 ambulance calls. These trends were occurring even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.