An AFG grant was awarded to the Magnolia Springs Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new vehicle extrication equipment. The extrication equipment is used by first responders to rescue victims trapped inside wrecked vehicles. The $49,000 grant allowed the department to purchase a complete set of cutters and spreaders with a telescoping ram, and hoses powered by a gas-powered portable pump. The grant also included four stabilization struts, complete set of high-pressure lifting bags, cribbing and a battery-powered combination (cutter/spreader) tool.

The extrication tools and equipment are used to decrease the time it takes to rescue a person trapped in a vehicle. This newer equipment is lighter and easier to use, gaining firefighters quicker access to victims trapped in vehicles following an accident, which ultimately increases their chances of survival. In many cases, even minutes without treatment can be a matter of life and death. Delays in extrication can negatively impact the “golden hour,” or a critical period in which a trauma patient must receive care immediately. Anything that can be done to reduce this time period aids in patient survival and recovery.

The grant is funded through FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. Eligible applicants include local fire departments, fire districts, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, tribal fire departments and State Fire Training Academies. The grant applications are submitted from each agency directly to FEMA, where the applications are reviewed and scored by fire service personnel from throughout the nation. FEMA gives funding for this project directly to the recipient agencies. It is the recipient agency’s responsibility to manage their grant award within federal guidelines with technical assistance and monitoring provided by FEMA Fire Program Specialists.