EASTHAM – On Friday, May 19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified the Eastham Fire Department that it had been awarded $91,599 in Assistance to Firefighters’ Grant (AFG) funding to purchase two (2) electric/hydraulic power stretchers and patient loading systems.
In recent years, the number of back and extremity injuries to EMS providers around the nation from patient lifting and loading have increased significantly. During the course of a typical medical transport, the cot is lowered or raised up to nine (9) times. For the number of medical transports for Eastham, this amounts to nearly 7,000 separate events where providers are at undue risk of injury. This equipment, required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on all new ambulances, will allow the EMTs and Paramedics of the Eastham Fire Department to better serve the community and prevent provider injury.
“The Eastham Fire Department is extremely pleased to receive this funding to purchase these power stretchers and loading systems that will allow us to deliver better patient care while providing a safer working environment for our providers,” said Eastham Fire Chief Kent Farrenkopf. “I would like to thank all the members of the fire department staff who assisted with the grant process, along with Senator Warren and Congressman Keating for their support of efforts to better protect our community.”
The AFG award of $91,599 in project funding will provide direct relief to Eastham taxpayers and the town’s future capital budgets.
For more information on the new equipment, please contact the Eastham Fire Department at (508)255-2324 or [email protected].
About the Eastham Fire Department The Eastham Fire Department was established in 1946 to better serve the year-round and seasonal residents of the town of Eastham. The Town of Eastham is comprised of 25.7 square miles, and includes critical infrastructure such as a major state highway, a National Seashore, as well as waterways and harbors. Approximately one-quarter of the town has remote access, including the Cape Cod National Seashore and Cape Cod Rail Trail. Emergencies that occur in these areas are not readily accessible by traditional fire or rescue apparatus and typically require more manpower, extended extrication times, and increase the potential for responder injury.
About the Assistance to Firefighters’ Grant program
The Assistance for Firefighters’ Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, wellness and fitness, health and safety modifications to stations and facilities and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
Media release furnished by Eastham Police
