Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                                                       Contact: Ken Otwaska 262/6643680
                                                                                                                          Gary Feest 262/9302667
                                                                                                                         Jon Hansen 262/4988954
 
                                           MT. PLEASANT EMERGENCY RESPONSE
                               Are All Resources Available Being Considered By Fire Chief?
 
MT. PLEASANT, WI February 25, 2016  In a recent presentation before the Mt. PleasantVillage Board of Trustees, South Shore Fire Chief Robert Stedman discussed the issue of emergency response times. This presentation was offered in light of a contract negotiated in December for additional service in Elmwood Park and public criticism over increased emergency response times in certain areas of Mt. Pleasant.

“We do the best job we can,” Chief Stedman said. “We use the resources we have.”

Stedman did not take questions that evening. We would have liked to ask him if South Shore Fire Department is using all the resources that are currently available beyond just the ones we have?

Mt. Pleasant resident and former Village Technology Committee member, Rees Roberts wrote an OpEd this week detailing a meeting he had with Chief Stedman during the summer of 2015. In the meeting Mr. Roberts says he discussed at length the PulsePoint smartphone app which alerts certified citizens of a person within close range who is in need of emergency CPR.

At the time of the meeting, the Madison Fire Department had just implemented PulsePoint with great success. Last week, Mr. Roberts writes, the Greenfield Fire Department announced it is introducing the program to Milwaukee county and the city of Milwaukee is seriously considering PulsePoint as well. .

PulsePoint is low cost and requires no extra steps for dispatchers. The software runs in the background of the emergency dispatch computer system. PulsePoint first responders are volunteers, trained and certified in CPR. Their training and close proximity to an emergency cardiac arrest incident has been used over 100 times in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, Mr. Roberts reports his idea and conversation with Chief Stedman resulted in no action or further discussion. We believe this was a missed opportunity in which Mt. Pleasant could have led the state with an innovative idea to save lives.

In Chief Stedman’s presentation, he remarked that large portions of Mt. Pleasant particularly in the southeast and northeast areas are outside the American Heart Association recommended 4 minute lifesaving response zone. The Elmwood Park Fire/EMS contract adds roughly 200 more' households to our area of coverage.

The risk of fatality from cardiac arrest increases 10% for every 60 seconds that CPR is not administered. Just a few minutes longer can mean the difference between life and death.

As candidates for Mt. Pleasant Village Trustees, we believe “the best we can” is only good enough when you have exhausted every idea and resource available. Programs like PulsePoint are worth pursuing and discussing if we are going to be serious about lowering emergency response times and providing better service to the people of Mt. Pleasant.

As Village Trustees, each of us is committed to listening, respecting and engaging with the ideas and questions of residents in our community. Public safety is and always will be a top priority and no idea is too small if it means we function more effectively as a village. We believe Mr. Robert’s idea is a valid one and we would seek to join Madison, Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee in pursuing PulsePoint as a possibility for Mt. Pleasant.

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Ken Otwaska
Candidate for Mt. Pleasant Trustee/Seat #2
 
Gary Feest
ReElection Candidate for Mt. Pleasant Trustee/Seat #4
 
Jon Hansen
Candidate for Mt. Pleasant Trustee/Seat #6