The theme for the 2003 Brockport Summer Arts Festival was "Help Us Keep Our Community Safe" and with the proceeds raised and donated to both Lakeside Memorial Hospital and the Brockport Fire Department will be able to do just that. Brockport Integrated Services and Community Organizations (BISCO) annually sponsors the arts festival and chooses beneficiaries of the money raised during the event. Gary Zimmer, BISCO president, said that every year the organization identifies a special community project to support. "We're proud to donate proceeds from the festival to emergency service to benefit our community," he said. Lakeside and the Brockport Fire Department each received more than $8,000 to be used toward the purchase of emergency equipment. The arts festival is an event that involves not only the local community but thousands of individuals from across the state. It offers shopping, food, and a variety of entertainment and activities for children and adults. With the BISCO donation, the fire department was able to upgrade existing life saving equipment. A Hurst Tool Spreader and miscellaneous components for the Jaws of Life rescue tool were also purchased. "We had a Hurst tool on display at the donation ceremony and the guys used the existing tool to show what it is capable of," Brockport Fire Department Public Information Officer Christopher Martin said. "The machine is capable of cutting a door right off a car." The fire department's present Jaws of Life tool is almost 30 years old, weighs 72 pounds and has a torque of 18,000 pounds, Martin explained. "The new tool is lighter, easier to maneuver and there is more power behind the hydraulics," he said, adding that the new tool weighs 58 pounds and has 31,000 pounds of torque. "Unfortunately we have to use the Jaws of Life in a majority of the accidents that we respond to." The Jaws of Life allow emergency personnel to quickly gain access to individuals trapped in tight spaces enabling them to provide faster medical care. With its donation, Lakeside Memorial Hospital received a new Life Pak 20 defibrillator for the Emergency Department. Recent studies support seeking treatment as quickly as possible for initial stabilization with subsequent transfer to a hospital as the most effective treatment of cardiac arrest. "The purchase of this new defibrillator gives the hospital more capabilities of dealing with patients with heart problems," Martin said. Amy Fletcher, RN, BSN, nurse manager of the Critical Care unit of the hospital, said the Life Pak 20 is a very important tool in emergency cardiac care. "In some cases we are able to revive a patient experiencing cardiac arrest by using the defibrillator," she said. "It can also be used to treat other irregular heart rhythms, which could lead to cardiac arrest if not brought back to normal, by serving as an external pacemaker until an internal pacemaker can be inserted." A certificate of appreciation was presented to BISCO by the fire department for the donation and for BISCO's efforts in helping to keep the community safe. "We're grateful to BISCO for their support in helping us purchase the emergency equipment," representatives from both the hospital and the fire department said. BISCO is an organization that consists of Brockport Service Clubs including the Elks, Kiwanis, Lions and the Rotary. It also includes members from community organizations including SUNY Brockport, the fire department and Lakeside Foundation. Prior projects that BISCO has donated to include Corbett Park Playground, Barry/Lyman Street Park, sponsorship of the Brockport Symphony, Town of Sweden Skate Park, Cool Kids in the Park program and the Toyshelf, among other projects. |
Brockport Fire Department personnel demonstrate the use of The Jaws of Life, a valuable tool which allows emergency personnel to quickly gain access to individuals trapped in tight spaces, enabling them to provide faster medical care. Photos by Rick Nicholson.