Volunteer Medical Service Corps gets federal and state grants
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
ARDMORE – The Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lower Merion, Narberth, Conshohocken and West Conshohocken was notified Dec. 23, 2011, by the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program that it has been awarded a grant of $215,600 to install a vehicle-exhaust extraction system and buy new cardiac heart monitors. VMSC also got notification on Jan. 6, 2012, from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OFSC) of a $5,670.61 grant award to assist with the renovations to VMSC’s Conshohocken station.
Pennsylvania State Sen. Daylin Leach and Pennsylvania State Representatives Mike Gerber, Tim Briggs and Greg Vitali, who all serve the Ardmore and/or Conshohocken area, have been invited to attend, along with Edward Mann, Office of the State Fire Commissioner, Lori Bainbridge, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III Fire Program Specialist, the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety and members of the VMSC Board of Directors, a check presentation on Jan. 27 at the Main Station, 101 Sibley Ave. in Ardmore. The presentation will begin at 10 a.m.
FEMA says AFG’s main goal is to meet the firefighting and emergency-response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical-services organizations. AFG has an appropriation of $405 million to support fire and EMS operations and safety grants, firefighting and emergency-vehicle grants and fire-prevention and safety grants.
The Volunteer Fire Company, Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program (VFCVASGP) provides grants for volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue companies. When the 2011-12 VFCVASGP application period closed on Nov. 4, 2011, there were 2,542 eligible fire and EMS organizations that submitted applications for grant funding. The OSFC staff completed their review of these applications and 2,529 of the applications were approved.
Most emergency-response vehicles in use today are fueled with diesel fuel for efficiency, durability and longevity. Responding to nearly 7,000 emergency calls annually, VMSC averages about 30 calls daily and houses six of its seven ultra-low sulfur diesel-fueled emergency ambulances at its main facility in Lower Merion Township. Diesel exhaust produces carcinogens in the air and the formation of ozone. Because the EPA estimates that “every $1 spent on clean diesel projects produces up to $13 of public health benefits,” more clean-diesel technologies are being developed. The exhaust extraction system identified by VMSC will remove the potentially dangerous effects of diesel emissions, providing cleaner air to the facility and a safer environment for employees and visitors to the station. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies show that long-term exposure to diesel exhaust can increase the risk of chronic respiratory illnesses. Protecting the life and safety of personnel is a priority for first responders no matter what capacity they serve, EMS, fire or police.
The cardiac heart monitors identified for purchase have newer technology and will assist with the detection of life-threatening and critical conditions and improve patient care. These monitors will allow the pre-hospital providers to greatly expand the services provide for cardiac calls and firefighter safety. The purchase of these monitors will meet the following standards as published in the Responder Knowledge Base: Code of Federal Regulations – Arrhythmia detector and alarm, including ST-segment measurement and alarm (870.1025), medical magnetic tape recorder (870.2800); the American Society for Testing and Materials – Standard Guide for Training the Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (F1651-95); and the National Fire Protection Association – Guide for Emergency Medical Services and Systems (450-2004) and Medical Rehabilitation and Monitoring (1584-2008).
For more information regarding the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, visit www.firegrantsupport.com, and on the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, visit www.OSFC.state.pa.us. For more information regarding clean diesel, you can go to the EPA Web site: www.epa.gov/diesel. For more information on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Code of Federal Regulations for Cardiovascular Devices, you can visit www.accessdata.fda.gov.
For more information please call Suzanne Smith at 610-645-7770. The Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lower Merion and Narberth, a nonprofit 911 emergency ambulance provider, serves Lower Merion, Narberth, Conshohocken and West Conshohocken.