County accepts $400,000 Christy Houston award; approves $1.027 million cardiac monitor purchase for EMS

Rutherford County's Budget, Finance and Investment Committee voted Oct. 9 to accept a $400,000 award from the Christy Houston Fund and to approve a related budget amendment that uses ambulance-fund balance to fund a county match, bringing the total cardiac-monitor purchase and maintenance package to $1,027,350.

Brian Gaither, EMS director, told the committee the purchase would replace monitors bought in 2020 that are nearing recommended replacement timelines. "The American Heart Association says replace them every 5 years. Our current monitors, we purchased in 2020, so we're getting close to that time frame," Gaither said. He said the vendor offers trade-in credit for the existing units and that buying now avoids further price increases.

The package covers 25 monitors and eight years of maintenance. Gaither and finance staff described the proposed match coming from ambulance-fund balances; the committee approved accepting the grant and the associated budget amendment in a single motion to allow the purchase to proceed.

Separately, EMS was authorized to apply for a Tennessee Department of Health equipment grant (no local match) that typically awards about $23,000 per ambulance-service applicant, and to apply for a competitive BJA Coverdell forensic science grant (no match, up to $500,000) for a medical death investigator position and portable X-ray equipment.

The committee recorded the motions and approved the budget amendment and grant acceptance by roll call.