Sept. 6, 2006 - One Hundred and Forty Four golfers, representing physicians, firefighters, administrators, and sponsors gathered in September and raised $60,000 to enable the Fountain Valley Department to outfit their paramedic and emergency vehicles with four 12 lead EKG machines.

The first Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center Invitational Golf Tournament was held September 6th at the Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine to raise enough money for the Fountain Valley Fire Department to purchase four 12 lead EKG machines that will better assess cardiac patients before being brought to the emergency room. Each EKG machine is estimated to cost $15,000 and our golf tournament proceeds will enable the Fire Department to purchase all four machines!

The new 12 lead EKG machines are key in the diagnosis of cardiac trauma, and will allow emergency personnel from Fountain Valley Fire Department to quickly assess cardiac distress levels. The information gathered from these machines will enable fire personnel to better treat and then deliver cardiac patients to an appropriately equipped emergency room or medical center. An inaccurate assessment may cause patients to be taken to a facility that is not equipped to handle this level of care and subsequently must be transported to another, better equipped facility.

The Catheterization Lab at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center performs these critical cardiac procedures, such as cardiac stenting and angioplasty, and is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

A big thank you to all involved in raising money for this great cause!