Onancock Volunteer Fire Department adds advanced ventilator through state grant

The Onancock Volunteer Fire Department has added a new state-of-the-art ventilator to its ambulance fleet following the award of a state rescue assistance grant, a move officials say will significantly enhance patient care on the Eastern Shore.

According to Fire Chief Michael Rydberg, the department applied in March 2025 for a Spring Rescue Squad Assistance Grant through the Virginia Office of EMS to purchase a Hamilton T-1 ventilator, valued at $16,500. In June 2025, the department was awarded the grant, which covered 50 percent of the cost, with OVFD funding the remaining half.

Rydberg said the acquisition followed years of research and planning by the department. After OVFD secured the ventilator, the Oak Hall Rescue Squad also purchased three of the same devices, and other regional EMS agencies are now considering adding them to their own units.

Over several months, OVFD conducted multiple training sessions to prepare providers to use the new equipment. The ventilators employ advanced, lung-protective technology that automatically reads a patient’s respiratory status and adjusts settings with minimal manual input, allowing providers to focus on other critical aspects of patient care. Data supporting the technology show improved patient outcomes, fewer clinical errors, shorter hospital stays, and more efficient use of personnel.

The new ventilators expand the range of treatments EMS clinicians can provide in the field. They can be used for patients who are awake and require BiPAP support, patients who need mechanical ventilation after intubation, and cardiac arrest patients who are intubated and receiving CPR, with the machine automatically breathing for the patient.

Rydberg noted that patient transfers will also become smoother as aviation medical units adopt similar technology. Helicopter services, including the Maryland State Police aviation units, currently use mechanical ventilators during transport and are expected to transition to the same model in the near future, allowing for faster and more seamless patient handoffs.

The department credited several individuals for helping bring the project to completion, including Paramedic Chris Davis of OVFD, Kevine Holloway of Accomack County Department of Public Safety, and medical directors Dr. Denise Harrison and Dr. Hugh Hemsley of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital.

Rydberg said the new equipment represents a major step forward in emergency medical care and will directly benefit patients and families across the Eastern Shore.