Sycamore Fire Department awarded a federal grant for CPR/chest compression devices and installation of a fire alarm system

On Friday, May 20, the City of Sycamore was informed that the Sycamore Fire Department was awarded a federal grant in the amount of $52,700 for the purchase of two CPR/chest compression devices and the installation of a fire alarm system at Fire Station #1 through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The AFG program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

The two CPR/chest compression devices will be a new medical adjunct for each of the Fire Department’s front line ambulances. The chest compression devices will allow responding paramedics to effectively and continuously perform chest compressions during the resuscitation of cardiac arrest patients in the pre-hospital setting.

The installation of a monitored fire alarm system at Fire Station #1 will help to enhance the level of safety for the firefighters assigned there as well as visitors to the fire station. The grant award of $52,096 covers 95% of the total estimated cost ($54,700) of the two chest compression devices and the fire alarm installation. The City is responsible for the remaining 5% of the cost of the grant which will be approximately $2,604.

The City of Sycamore is grateful for the support of Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Mark Kirk, and Congressman Randy Hultgren of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The FY 2015 Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) Funding had an appropriation of $306 million with a projection of 2,500 awards.