Citrus County Fire Rescue receives federal funding for lifesaving equipment

Citrus County, Florida - In late July 2024, Citrus County Fire Rescue announced the receipt of $636,286.81 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through the fiscal year 2022 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Citrus County will contribute non-federal funds equal to 10% of the federal funds awarded, or $63,628.69, resulting in a total approved budget of $699,915.50.

These funds were used to purchase 25 LUCAS® brand automatic chest compression devices, used for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), for every front-line apparatus in the agency's fleet of vehicles, along with 25 external power supplies, 25 desktop battery chargers, 25 maintenance service agreements, and 50 additional batteries.

"Securing the grant funds to purchase the LUCAS® device automatic CPR machines marks a significant advancement for our fire department and EMS service,” said Citrus County Fire Chief Craig Stevens. “These devices ensure consistent, high-quality chest compressions, which are critical during cardiac emergencies. By automating CPR, we can improve patient outcomes, reduce the physical strain on our personnel, and allow our EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and firefighters to focus on other vital aspects of patient care. The introduction of these devices exemplifies our commitment to leveraging technology to enhance our life-saving capabilities and ensure the best possible service to our community."

The LUCAS® device has been shown to improve the quality of chest compressions and increase end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETC02) levels, the level of carbon dioxide that is released at the end of an exhaled breath, while sustaining life-saving circulation during prolonged resuscitation attempts. By eliminating the effects of fatigue, individual variations, or psychological factors, the LUCAS® device ensures consistent, high-quality chest compressions, without the need to switch CPR providers every two minutes. This device is especially beneficial during patient movement, transportation, and prolonged CPR scenarios.

The benefits of the LUCAS® device include:
• Consistent quality of chest compressions during resuscitation attempts.
• Sustaining life-saving perfusion of the brain and heart.
• Facilitating extended CPR, high-quality CPR during transport, and treatment of underlying causes such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, and accidental hypothermia.
• Freeing up hands and reducing chaos around the patient, thus calming the scene and buying time to make critical decisions.
• Providing CPR guidance and data for feedback.
• Enhancing the safety of EMS crews by allowing them to remain seated and belted during ambulance transportation, reducing the risk of injury in a high-speed, hazardous environment.

“The equipment and technology provided by this AFG grant will aid our fire rescue teams in providing critical, potentially life-saving care and treatment to our citizens”, said Citrus County Administrator Steve Howard.

There was $324 million in funding available for the FY2022 AFG program, with approximately 2,000 projected awards. The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, the AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Citrus County Fire Rescue is grateful for this grant, which will significantly enhance our capability to provide high-quality emergency medical services and improve the safety and effectiveness of our response teams.