Dayton Daily News
BEAVERCREEK TWP., Ohio - Township trustees approved spending nearly $200,000 for needed EMS equipment for the fire department on Monday.
The township provides emergency services for more than 47,000 township residents, including those in the city of Beaver-creek.Trustee Carol Graff said that by purchasing seven LifePaks and 12 AEDs, Automated External Defibrillators, and ancillary equipment through the state, the township saved more than $60,000 in taxpayer money.
Fire Chief Dave VandenBos told trustees that $210,000 was in the 2014 budget for the equipment. The Lifepaks will replace older units that are at the end of their life expectancy after 10-plus years of use.
“The LifePak is used on nearly every EMS call. The units need to be reliable,” he said.
Trade-in credit for the older LifePaks knocked another $42,000 off for a total price of $198,639, VandenBos said. Total savings for taxpayers was more than $102,000.LifePaks allow medics to defibrillate heart patients, monitor EKG and blood pressure readings along with numerous other vital signs.
In addition, the fire department will get AED machines for defibrillation for staff cars and ladder trucks. Department officials said the staff cars and ladder trucks often are out in the community.
Adding the AEDs to those vehicles will allow them to be first responders to cardiac incidents if they are nearest to the patient.List price for the equipment was just over $300,000.
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