CANANDAIGUA, NY- Ontario County Advanced Life Support (OCALS), a division of Thompson Health, has been awarded a grant from the Oliver B. Merlyn Foundation. The grant, worth $23,425, will purchase a new Phillips MRx 12 lead monitor/Defibrillator, a transport ventilator and a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) generator. The monitor is used for patients with cardiac emergencies. The transport ventilator is used for patients who are on life support and need to be transported by the OCALS Critical Care Paramedics. The CPAP device is an assistive device used for patients with severe respiratory problems. “This is truly wonderful,” says Reg Allen, Chief of OCALS. “With this grant, all of the OCALS vehicles will have state-of-the-art cardiac monitors and airway management devices.” Currently, OCALS assists Avon Volunteer Ambulance, Canandaigua Volunteer Emergency Squad, Chili Volunteer Rescue Squad, Middlesex Volunteer Ambulance, Naples Volunteer Ambulance, Phelps Volunteer Ambulance and Richmond Fire District Volunteer Ambulance, and with EMS staffing, ALS support, training and administrative duties. OCALS has four Paramedic Response Vehicles stationed at strategic points throughout Ontario County. The average response time per call is less than ten minutes. OCALS is a premier EMS agency serving the Counties of Ontario, Yates, Monroe and most recently Livingston with staffing services and Paramedic intercept services. OCALS has 46 employees including EMTs, Paramedics, administrative, and secretarial support.