Cullman County EMA disburses $32,000 in
life-saving equipment to local agencies
Local rapid responders received new tools to aid them in protecting the lives of county residents recently as the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) disbursed $32,000 in equipment to eight city and county agencies. The equipment includes emergency medical supplies, numerous SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus) and backup air cylinders, cooling vests for HAZMAT units and other rescue and life-saving gear. Obtained through the first in a series of Department of Justice grants intended to aid first responders in dealing with the aftermath of possible terrorist attacks, the equipment was assigned to agencies based upon need, according to CCEMA Director Dan Isley. "A needs evaluation was done, and we came up with the items we needed to purchase with the first round of money," Isley said. "We already have the second round, but we haven't spent it yet." |
 Representatives of the Hanceville Police Department, the Cullman County Sheriff's Office, the Cullman Police Department, both Cullman and Cullman County HAZMAT units, the Cullman County Rescue Squad, Cullman Emergency Medical Services and the Holly Pond Rescue Squad met at the Cullman County EMA recently to pick up equipment purchased for their agencies by EMA officials with a $32,000 Department of Justice grant. |
| In addition to the equipment disbursed, the EMA also used part of the grant monies to stock its Cullman County Disaster Medical Response unit trailer, which was purchased with funds donated by the Cullman Rotary Club. | |
 A portion of the Dept. of Justice grant was used to stock the Cullman County Disaster Medical Response Unit trailer with supplies and equipment for the treatment of mass casualties. |
The
trailer's contents include a vast array of medical and trauma supplies as
well as command vests, tarps and a shelter to be used at disaster sites. A
new addition purchased through the grant is a chemical and biological agents
identifier kit. "Basically, (the trailer) has everything you need to treat mass casualties," Isley said. "Anywhere from 50 to 100 patients can be treated with the equipment in there." Isley said the second DOJ grant amounts to $55,000 and that the CCEMA will likely use it soon to provide more equipment to local agencies and also to aid them in sending their members for further training in the equipment's use. Agencies receiving equipment through the first grant included the Hanceville Police Department, the Cullman County Sheriff's Office, the Cullman Police Department, both Cullman and Cullman County HAZMAT units, the Cullman County Rescue Squad, Cullman Emergency Medical Services and the Holly Pond Rescue Squad.
|
