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CCFD looks to purchase $3 million in life saving equipment through state program

The machine is a medical device which can deliver consistent and automatic chest compressions during CPR.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Fire Department is looking to purchase some $3 million in firefighting equipment through a state program. 

According to CCFD the equipment would come to know expense to taxpayers. 

Some of those items include a new fire engine and several devices that will be placed in ambulances. The technology has the potential to make a real life or death difference. The machine is a medical device which can deliver consistent and automatic chest compressions during CPR.

The CCFD has two of the devices in operation and is looking to buy another 21 at a cost of $308,000. That's part of a $3 million request from the fire department to the Corpus Christi City Council. Over the next two council meetings the City is expected to sign off on the request because all of the money is coming from a state program that will allow the devices to be on all City ambulances at no cost to you the taxpayer. 

According to CCFD Fire Chief Robert Rocha, the equipment is necessary to meet the needs of the department. 

"These kinds of capital equipment items are always needed by departments, Rocha said. "And we were able to acquire this reimbursement money and use it for one time purchase items."

Rocha believes that the new equipment that he and the department are bringing in is going to help save lives out of the field.

Firefighter/Paramedic Erik Buys is from Corpus Christi Fire Station One. He and other ambulance crew members are receiving brand new automated external defibrillator's or AED's. The portable device is used to treat people suffering from a heart attack.

"We are able to treat them from there with different medication's and drugs," Buys said. "We are also able to defibrillate patients whether it's an adult or pediatric with our pads that we have on this AED."

The department is also looking to buy 20 brand new cardiac monitors at a cost of $1.1 million. They're also asking for a new fire engine at a price tag of $859,000. And again all of these purchases will be paid for through the state program called the Taxes Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program.

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