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Date
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March 24, 2007
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Agenda Item No. 38 Roll Call No. 08- Communication
No. 08-139 Submitted by: Phillip C. Vorlander.
Chief
of the Fire Department |
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AGENDA HEADING:
Approving the application for United
States Department of Homeland Security 2008 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant.
SYNOPSIS:
The Des Moines Fire Department has prepared a grant application for submission to the United States Department of Homeland Security 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, a competitive process. The Fire Department is requesting funding for the purchase of Automatic Chest Compression Devices.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Amount: $36,000.00 (20% required match of the total estimated project cost of $180,000.)
Funding Source: 2009 Operating Budget, Fire Department, Organization FIR040700, Account 544030, page 163.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
American Heart
Association (AHA) Guidelines for the performance of Cardio-Pulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR) stress the importance of maintaining circulation during cardiac
arrest in improving patient outcomes. Performing manual chest compressions is difficult;
quality varies between responders, and, in fact, deteriorates over time as a
result of rescuer fatigue. Significant improvements have been made in the
effectiveness of Automatic Chest Compression devices that are designed to
overcome the problems encountered by both out-of-hospital and in-hospital
health care personnel in that they provide sustained, quality compressions
according to the AHA Guidelines without delays or interruptions. Additionally,
manual CPR in a moving ambulance poses significant risk to the unsecured fire
fighter, not only in the event of an accident, but musculoskeletal strain and
damage from maintaining stability (this act of maintaining balance and position
also results in less effective CPR).
The Des Moines Fire Department Medical Director has recommended the deployment of these devices in our system and this grant application seeks funding for the purchase of twelve (12) Automatic Chest Compression Devices in order to improve the quality of the care we provide our patients and, concurrently, enhance the safety of our personnel.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION(S): NONE
BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):
NONE
ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND
FUTURE COMMITMENTS:
If the Fire Department is awarded the grant, the City Council will be
asked to approve the acceptance of the grant and authorization to purchase twelve (12) Automatic Chest Compression
Devices.
For
more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s
Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City
Hall,