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Ulster County establishes $500,000 capital project to equip BLS agencies with monitors and Lucas devices
Summary
The Public Works and Capital Projects Committee approved a $500,000 capital project to provide cardiac monitors and Lucas devices to eligible basic life support (BLS) agencies after agencies apply and meet performance criteria.
The Ulster County Public Works and Capital Projects Committee on April 7 approved a $500,000 capital project to buy cardiac monitors and Lucas devices and distribute them to eligible emergency medical services agencies.
County officials said the program will allow BLS agencies to apply for equipment after meeting training and performance thresholds; agencies that meet the criteria will receive monitors and, in some cases, Lucas automated CPR devices. The equipment is intended to expand the capability of BLS responders so they can begin advanced adjuncts such as 12-lead cardiac monitoring while awaiting ALS backup.
Director Erickson described the program and how funding is awarded. He said the county will provide the devices to agencies that apply and meet the program’s requirement of providing the specified adjuncts (referred to in the meeting as “12 adjuncts”). “If the agency met all 12 adjuncts, we will provide that monitor. We would provide a Lucas device as well,” Erickson said. He clarified that ALS agencies are largely already using the monitors and that the program is primarily geared to BLS agencies; an ALS agency could apply for a Lucas device.
Committee members asked how the equipment would be apportioned. Erickson said the authority having jurisdiction—the EMS agency or municipal CON holder—must apply; if the municipality operates EMS directly, the municipality may be the applicant and recipient. He also said the program is not competitive in the sense of a single winner: agencies that meet the standards receive equipment.
Legislator Kovacs moved the resolution; Legislator Donaldson seconded. The committee voted to approve the establishment of capital project 728 for Emergency Medical Services equipment; the motion passed unanimously.
The committee said larger, countywide EMS funding measures remain under consideration and will return to committee for further discussion on apportionment across jurisdictions.
Votes at this committee meeting on this item were recorded as passed unanimously.
