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Coweta County approves Piedmont partnership for paramedic clinicals and expands AED purchase
Summary
The board approved an agreement with Piedmont Newnan Hospital for paramedic clinical education and authorized purchasing replacement AED units (expanded to 80 units) to modernize county coverage; staff said new units include cellular connectivity and longer pad/battery life.
The Coweta County Board of Commissioners approved a clinical partnership with Piedmont Newnan Hospital on April 21 to provide the hospital‑based clinical rotations needed for an in‑house county paramedic licensure program. County staff said the agreement will supply the clinical hours county employees require to complete paramedic training as part of an in‑house program established in last year’s budget.
Separately, staff recommended replacing 50 of the county’s 71 automated external defibrillators because the manufacturer no longer supports several older models. The low bid presented was approximately $2,662 per unit; staff noted a time‑limited trade‑in credit that would reduce net cost. Commissioners voted to expand the purchase to 80 units to replace older devices and cover identified gaps (libraries, Fairgrounds, other county locations). The new AEDs include cellular connectivity for remote status monitoring and longer pad/battery lifespans (four‑year pads/batteries). County dispatchers will continue to provide AED usage guidance over 911.
Officials said the purchases and the clinical agreement both aim to strengthen county emergency response capacity; the AED upgrade was approved by voice vote and staff will finalize vendor negotiations and purchase logistics.
