Oak Forest Fire Department first in Illinois to use new heart monitoring technology

May 6, 2026 - 09:36

A suburban fire department is now the first in Illinois to roll out a new generation of heart monitoring technology designed to help paramedics work faster and with greater precision during emergencies. The Oak Forest Fire Department recently equipped its ambulances with advanced devices that provide real-time data on a patient's cardiac activity, allowing crews to transmit high-quality electrocardiograms directly to hospital staff before the patient even arrives.

Officials say the upgrade cuts down on critical minutes when treating heart attacks and other cardiac events. Instead of relying on older monitors that required manual interpretation, the new system uses software to flag potential issues and streamlines communication between field medics and emergency room doctors. This means a hospital can have a cardiac team ready and waiting the moment the ambulance pulls in.

Fire Chief Jason Smith noted that the technology gives his team a clearer picture of what is happening with a patient's heart, reducing guesswork during high-stress calls. The department invested in the equipment after seeing how similar systems improved survival rates in other states. For residents of Oak Forest, the change means that when they call 911 for a cardiac emergency, they are getting some of the most up-to-date tools available anywhere in the state.