| Four Lockport Township
entities have worked together to purchase for the Lockport Township Fire
Protection District a John Deere Gator with trailer and medical cot.
Excerpt from the Herald
News:
No 'Later, Gator' in Lockport
Emergency vehicle: Township groups band
for purchase
LOCKPORT — Four Lockport Township entities have worked together to
purchase for the Lockport Township Fire Protection District a John Deere
Gator with trailer and medical cot. The vehicle will be assigned to
special community events.
Members of the Lockport Township Fire
Foundation, the Dellwood Foundation, the Lockport Township Park District
and the Lockport Township Fire Protection District pooled their
resources for the purchase.
The Gator is a four-wheel drive vehicle
that can travel to emergencies conventional ambulances or other
emergency vehicles might not be able to go. The unit will carry medical
and other equipment and will be staffed by two firefighter/paramedic
personnel.
The driving force behind this cooperative
purchase was Ray Darin of the fire foundation. Darin is a former
volunteer firefighter with the district.
"The need for this piece of
specialized equipment has been known for a long time, but the costs
associated with the Gator prohibited its purchase by the fire
district," Darin said. "In the past the fire district had
applied for grants for this particular purchase, but unfortunately the
grants were never awarded."
Darin then developed the plan to approach
other Lockport Township entities with the idea of a combined purchase.
"The need for the Gator was
immediately apparent to the other organizations who are aware that the
fire district assigns an ambulance crew to many community events. In
fact some organization members have personally seen the difficulty
paramedics have had in the past to reach an accident victim at a
community event," Darin said.
Sue Micklevitz, executive director of the
park district, added, "We at the park district were especially
concerned about emergency access on the I&M Canal paths and some
areas in Dellwood Park. The park district board was very supportive of
this project and approved this added safety measure for our park
district visitors."
Char Kocik, vice president of the
Dellwood Foundation, Fire Chief Rob Cronholm and the fire board
supported the undertaking and worked hard to see the project come to
fruition.
"We also would like to thank
Shorewood Home and Auto of Shorewood, who donated all shipping and
handling and set-up costs for the unit," Cronholm said. "Their
community support is greatly appreciated."
8/28/05
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