BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has granted the Kern County Fire Department $397,000 for the purchase of new electrocardiogram monitors for firefighters, EMTs, and other first responders.
Alongside the equipment that firefighters and EMTs carry, ECG monitors are one of the most essential tools needed when they are on the scene of a life-or-death situation.
"We respond to over 60,000 different emergencies each year, and almost 40,000 are medical calls," explained Kern County Fire Department Public Information Officer Andrew Freeborn. "This could be from an acute medical emergency, this could be a medical problem relating to some kind of traumatic event, but we are regularly responding to these medical emergencies."
When responding to those medical emergencies, ECG monitors are used to monitor a patient's heart rate so paramedics can determine the best course of emergency care.
"These monitors only have a life of about 5 to 10 years, depending on how much they're being used, and they're very costly. This $397,000 dollars will go to purchasing 10 monitors," said Freeborn.
Considering how costly the equipment is, the grant money will also allow the fire department to use their general budget accordingly toward other forms of equipment.
Although they are expensive, the monitors themselves are quite small and can fit in an easily accessible place.
"It's very easy the way these storage system are here, and you can easily have a monitor that goes right along with all of your other medical equipment," said Freeborn.
KCFD originally applied for the grant one year ago, in January 2022. Freeborn says he expects the department to have the 10 new monitors by next month.
