Lifeguard 30 helps first responders

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - A Portsmouth company wants to help make sure medical personnel know all they need to know about a person in the event of a medical emergency.

James Ramsey and his family faced a situation when his grandmother fell and broke her hip just after moving to Norfolk. The rescue squad did not know her medical history because her medical records were still in Florida.

"During the pre-op interview before she went in for surgery, they're asking questions of myself and my mom and dad and we were unable to answer most of their questions we were asked," said Ramsey, president of VIVRE Medical.

Ramsey tried to find a solution.

"And so I looked on the internet and thought there has to be a better solution than what we experienced and there wasn't," he said.

Ramsey, who owns the VIVRE Medical company in Portsmouth, developed a personal electronic device to help.

"Everybody invents things," he said. "Everybody has an idea."

His idea was the LifeGuard30, an inexpensive mini-computer a person carries on a keychain.

"It has emergency contact information. It has information on your insurance. It has all of your current and past medical conditions, so you can't possibly fit on a bracelet all the information that the paramedics want to know about you."

Users are required to update your information periodically.

Rescue squads are trained to look for medical bracelets and wallet cards. Can these devices be another useful tool?

"It could be helpful, sure," said Bruce Nedelka with Virginia Beach EMS. "It'll be a piece of the pie, or the puzzle, that we use when we're on a scene and to help somebody who isn't able to communicate."

Medical personnel will need to be trained to recognize the devices.

A link to the Lifeguard30 website can be found here .