Madera Fire awarded grant for equipment

For The Madera Tribune

Madera County Fire Department engineer Ryan Lorenc holds one of the “Jaws of LIfe” the department purchased with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The County purchased the “Jaws of Life” through a $70,000 grant.

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The Madera County Fire Department is the recipient of a $70,000 amount grant to purchase new extrication equipment.

Known as the “jaws of life,” first responders use these specialized tools to safely rescue crash victims trapped inside a vehicle.

“This new equipment will help reduce the time it takes for us to safely reach someone who needs immediate medical attention,” said Madera County Fire Department Assistant Chief, Matthew Watson. “Without the OTS grant funding, we would not be able to purchase modern rescue tools and extrication equipment that is critical for the care of those injured in crashes within Madera County.”

Delays in providing care to crash victims impacts the “golden hour” of survival, a core principle in the emergency medical services industry. Reducing the time it takes to get to the patient, treat what can be treated, and transport the patient to the hospital helps increase the chance for recovery.

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Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.