CAMDEN, S.C. — The Lugoff Fire Department has new, lifesaving equipment, thanks to a $38,000 grant from the Health Foundation of Kershaw County.
Captain Administrator Chris Jones says this grant will help save lives in the community.
"Minutes matter, we have a response time average of roughly five minutes, but if we can have a life-saving device in their hands early, it's worth every penny the health foundation donated to us," Jones said.
The grant covered the purchase of two automated chest compressions.
"It's a battery-powered device that allows us to give chest compressions without tying up a firefighter. It allows us to give more manpower to different things," Jones said. "It's like having an extra person. We might be doing CPR on a patient for five, ten, fifteen minutes before EMS gets there, so it gives us the extra hand."
The grant will also be used to provide local businesses with training courses on a LifeVac, which is used to dislodge items an individual might be choking on.
"It's completely voluntary and completely free for local businesses in the Lugoff Fire District. They will be offered one LifeVac per business. We're gonna target businesses that have dine-in establishments, anywhere the public will be, your daycare, your schools, your restaurants, fast food, along with some basic CPR hands-on training on the Heimlich maneuver."
Captain Jones is hopeful having these new items will be helpful to those in the community.