By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW – The city received a Firehouse Public Safety Foundation grant of $26,864 to purchase Hurst Jaws of Life extrication tools, Police and Fire Chief Clifford Rosebohm announced Oct. 9.
The Firehouse Public Safety Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), has provided more than $29.5 million in grants for emergency personnel in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, benefiting 3,059 organizations.
The hydraulic rescue tools, used by emergency rescue personnel to remove crash victims from vehicles and other confined spaces, include cutters, spreaders and rams.
Hurst rescue tools were invented by George Hurst in 1961 after he witnessed a stock car racing accident in which personnel required more than an hour to remove a driver from a wreck. Hurst sought to avoid the sparks from saws that can trigger fires, as well as the prying actions of crowbars that can trigger airbags and destabilize vehicles.
The City Council will vote to accept the grant at its Oct. 16 meeting.
For more information about the foundation or to donate, go to firehousesubsfoundation.org.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected].)