North Central Fire District Awarded Grant from the Office of Traffic Safety for New Emergency Response Equipment

The North Central Fire District is the recipient of a $50,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for vehicle extrication equipment. The grant will equip an additional District fire station with vehicle extrication equipment. This will place additional specialized vehicle extrication equipment across the 230 square miles of the Fire District, decreasing extrication times and enhancing patient survivability.

The District operates six fire stations daily and has mutual and automatic aid agreements with the Fresno County Fire Protection District, Fresno City Fire Department, and the County of Madera Fire Department. On average, each response zone covers 54 square miles and in some cases where fire apparatus are responding to the border of their respective response zone, response times can stretch out to 20 minutes for arrival of the first fire apparatus.

Delays in providing care to crash victims impact the “golden hour” of survival, a core principle in the emergency medical services industry. Reducing the time it takes to get to the patient, treat what can be treated, and transport the patient to the hospital helps increase the chance for recovery.

The grant will fund the purchase of a complete set of state-of-the-art Hurst e-Draulic® auto extrication tools, including cutters, spreaders and rams, lifting bags, and advanced stabilization equipment. These tools are lighter and use state-of-the-art battery technology, making them faster and more effective. This equipment is expected to be placed into service early 2024.

The District would like to recognize the importance of relationships between California State agencies and thank the Office of Traffic and Safety for recognizing the importance of this need for our District and communities we serve.