COMMERCIAL POINT, Ohio — The Scioto Township Fire Department is set to replace its decade-old ambulance cot after the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation approved a $32,125 grant toward a new power cot and loading system, the department said.
The fire department, which serves Scioto Township in Pickaway County, said in a Facebook post that it learned late last week the grant it had applied for was awarded. The money will cover almost half the cost of the new equipment, with the department responsible for the remainder. The department’s current cot is approaching 10 years old.
“These cots are vital to transferring our residents safely and smoothly to the hospital when an emergency occurs,” the fire department said in the post.
Power cots and loading systems use a hydraulic or electric lift to raise, lower and load a patient into an ambulance, reducing the manual lifting strain on EMS crews during what is often one of the most physically demanding parts of a call. Departments across Ohio have turned to the devices in recent years as a way to cut down on back and shoulder injuries among paramedics and firefighters.
The funding comes through BWC’s Safety Intervention Grant program, which offers Ohio public and private employers, including township fire departments, matching grants to purchase equipment that reduces the risk of on-the-job injury. Eligible employers can receive up to $40,000 per three-year eligibility cycle under the program, according to BWC.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Scioto Township Fire Department.
