By Steven Spencer
First responders in the county may soon be getting matching AED equipment with the help of funds from opioid litigation.
The North Calhoun Fire Protection District asked the County Commissioners about using some of the funds from the Public Safety Tax for new AED batteries and pads at the July 16 Commissioners meeting.
Chief Gary Hall said the costs of the pads and batteries have increased so much that they’ve had to cut back on how many they carry and requested help to cover some of the costs.
During the discussion State’s Attorney Lucas Fanning asked if all the emergency vehicles in the county were using the same equipment and if they were all interchangeable. He mentioned that they’ve been trying to get new AEDs for the squad cars and this would be a good opportunity to make sure all the equipment in the county is interchangeable.
Fanning said that with every second being crucial during an emergency that would require AED equipment it would be very beneficial to have the same equipment.
“We have all that opioid litigation money,” Fanning said. “We have the money sitting in the opioid litigation, I’m thinking 10 to 12 grand. I want everyone, the whole county, south end, north end, all you guys using the same pads. I would like at least the county-operated entities all on the same page. I would think the same machines, same pads.”
Fanning said AED is exactly the type of thing the opioid litigation money can be used for.
“It’s supposed to be for basically drug overdose style of things,” Fanning said. “There’s a whole breakdown of approved uses and they’re pretty broad, so I can make this fit.”
Hall said he would look into what equipment is being used on the ambulances and see how they compare to the fire departments.
