Plymouth Township's fire department has overhauled the medical equipment inside its ambulances, spending more than $1.1 million on cardiac monitors, automated CPR machines, powered stretchers and stair chairs through a five-year deal with Stryker Medical.

Fire Chief Pat Conely told Plymouth Today the department is paying roughly $223,000 a year over five years under a pay-as-you-go agreement with Stryker, which is headquartered in Portage, Michigan.

"These are really a game changer in cardiac arrest survival," Conely said of the new LUCAS 3 automated chest-compression devices. "I've been in this field since 1990, and this is probably one of the biggest single changes I've seen in cardiac arrest survival."

What the department bought

The purchase includes seven LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitor-defibrillators, replacing six older LIFEPAK 15 units the department had used for about a decade. The seventh monitor means crews no longer have to transfer one unit between trucks. The seven monitors cost approximately $450,000, according to Conely.

The department also added five LUCAS 3 chest-compression systems. The devices deliver automated, guideline-compliant CPR and maintain compressions while paramedics move a patient to the ambulance.

Three new battery-powered stretchers with power-load systems now equip the township's transport ambulances, making it easier to load patients. Four powered stair chairs round out the order, helping crews move patients between floors with less physical strain.

Why it matters locally

Plymouth Township Fire responded to 3,589 calls in 2024, according to department figures. The department staffs 24 full-time firefighter-paramedics, all certified in Advanced Life Support, across three stations covering 18 square miles.

Conely, who became fire chief in April 2022 after 20 years with the department, said the upgrade standardizes gear across the fleet so every crew trains on identical equipment.

The department also replaced its battalion chief vehicle with a 2025 utility-style body truck, swapping out an older pickup, Conely told Plymouth Today.

No future board vote is required for the purchase; the payment agreement is already in place. Residents with questions can contact Plymouth Township Fire at its administrative offices on Ann Arbor Road.