County Buys Equipment for EMS

Stephens County will pay for a third LUCAS Chest Compression Device to fully outfit Stephens County EMS with all the units it needs.

Commissioners approved the purchase unanimously on Tuesday.

According to Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers, this purchase would give the county’s EMS service the full allotment of these devices it needs through a team effort to purchase them.

“Our ambulance service right now needed three of these units,” said Ayers. “The hospital has purchased one. The trauma grant has purchased one, so a third one would go to their third unit so that all units would have one of these.”

Stephens County Commission Chair Dennis Bell said they are a great asset to an EMS service.

“It straps around you and does chest compressions,” said Bell. “It is a miracle worker.”

Ayers said the money for the purchase should come out of the county’s contingency fund.

She said that should not create any financial issues for the county moving forward in this fiscal year.

“Our contingency fund is doing very well,” said Ayers. “We have $460,000 and we are sitting in the middle of February and our finances are doing well. Our tax collection rate is doing well.”

The device will cost the county a little over $14,000.