Ambulance services that come to Nashville hospitals from outlying counties often have to return home leaving valuable equipment behind that is still being used to stabilize patients.

Spine boards, straps and head immobilization devices are just some of the thousands of pieces of equipment left at Nashville area emergency departments. Getting this equipment back is often challenging and the loss of equipment can be quite expensive for ambulance services.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight will soon begin delivering equipment back to EMS agencies in an effort to assist them maintain proper levels of the life saving equipment and save money on lost equipment.

Thanks to the generous donation of a van by Darrell Waltrip Automotive Group in Franklin, Tenn., Dana Keele, EMT, outreach liaison, will be making regular equipment delivery rounds to counties in the LifeFlight service area.

“We are very excited to begin this new program and appreciate the assistance from Darrell Waltrip Automotive Group in helping make this happen,” said Jeanne Yeatman, RN., EMT, director of LifeFlight.

“Darrell Waltrip Automotive is proud to be able to provide a van to assist Vanderbilt LifeFlight in their life-saving work in the Nashville and surrounding areas,” said John Gallagher, General Manager, Darrell Waltrip Honda Volvo Subaru. “This donation is a continued example of Darrell Waltrip Automotive’s commitment to the community. Over the past 10 years we have been able to invest more than half a million dollars into Nashville area non-profits and are pleased to continue to do so.”

Initially the effort will focus on returning more than 300 pieces of equipment currently at Vanderbilt and once this is done, LifeFlight will pick up and return equipment left at other Nashville hospitals.

“We are excited that Vanderbilt is providing this service. Currently we have to send a part-time employee to Nashville at least once a week to retrieve equipment that EMS crews were unable to bring back at the time of their transport. This will allow us to utilize this employee more effectively with other tasks, said Keith Douglas, director of Sumner County EMS. “I believe this is yet another great example of Vanderbilt’s dedication to the EMS community and they are a tremendous partner for Sumner County EMS.

Chad Graham, director of Bedford County EMS, agreed.

“Bedford EMS is excited to see Vanderbilt LifeFlight taking a proactive role in dealing with equipment recovery,” Graham said. “With limited funds available to serve our communities, this service will make a positive impact in our system.”

Another EMS provider located far South of Nashville, said the new program will allow his ambulances to return back to their service area faster.”

“We are 85 miles from Nashville and it will make our turnaround time faster not having to retrieve equipment,” said Richard Wright, director of Lincoln Medical Center EMS.

Agencies that have special needs or urgent requests can e-mail EMSEquipment@vanderbilt.edu. Once the initial equipment is returned, a regular schedule will be established so that EMS agencies can anticipate the day each week their equipment will arrive.

“This is a milestone in our customer service efforts and a fantastic way to show the hard working EMS professionals that we are proud to be a part of their team,” said Brent Lemmonds, MS, RN, EMT-P, FACHE, administrative director of Emergency Services.

Vanderbilt is the only hospital in Middle Tennessee to offer the personal delivery service

More information at http://www.vanderbilthealth.com/lifeflight/33394