SEQUIM – Clallam County Fire District No. 3 paramedics can practice using real cardiac equipment medical procedures on a new mannequin donated by the Sequim Dungeness Hospital Guild.
The mannequin – called a HAL – has a heartbeat, breath, some veins and is just a little larger than life-size and cost almost $30,000.
Real cardiac equipment can be used on the heart and practice shots can be given to the mannequin, Jean Janis, president of the guild, said.
The guild donates money to the Fire Department every December, Janis said.
This year, the department had requested the guild put the money toward the mannequin, and the check for $29,611 was presented to the department at a Dec. 12 luncheon.
The luncheon, catered by the volunteers from the thrift shop and with turkey provided by Sunny Farms and dessert from Olympic Medical Center, drew about 80 people.
“We had enough sales at the thrift shop that we were able to purchase the mannequin in full,” Janis said.
The Sequim Dungeness Hospital Guild Thrift Shop, 204 W. Bell St., accepts donations and consignment items and the proceeds benefit local medical-centered organizations.
In May the guild gives medical scholarships and donations to Olympic Medical Center, Janis said.
“This mannequin isn’t connected to electricity but it simulates cardiac events – it is a teaching instrument for paramedics,” Janis said.
Past donations by the guild have included helping purchase an ambulance for the Sequim area.
“I don’t think that before the guild was started that we had an ambulance at all,” Janis said.
“We buy things for the hospital that they don’t have the budget for.”
In addition to the check, guests at the luncheon were asked to bring toys to give to needy children.
Donna Tedrich, toy chairman of Community Aid, collected the toys which totaled about 80, Janis said.
“Anyone in the community or in Sequim School District who is in need can come and pick out some gifts from the collection,” Janis said of the Community Aid project to which the toys were donated.
The Sequim High School choir sang at the event and donations – totaling about $275 – were taken up at the luncheon to support the choir’s trip to Southern California next year.
