Bristol Fire Department receives grant for pediatric equipment

Battalion Chief Mark Niederer, Bristol Fire Department, and Kim Bruns, GFWC-WI Junior Director, display a pediatric jump bag. /Submitted photo

The General Federation of Women’s Club-Wisconsin‘s, in alliance with Emergency Medical Services for Children-Wisconsin, is working on a project to equip Wisconsin’s EMS ambulance departments with critical pediatric equipment.

GFWC-WI and the Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation, Inc. have awarded a grant to the Bristol Fire Department to create a Pediatric Jump Kit Bag (“Ped Bag”) for each ambulance.

A Ped Bag is filled with supplies sized for infants and children in one organized, easily accessible location. The EMS provider will now have ready access to the smaller, pediatric-sized supplies needed to provide emergency medical care for young patients. The Ped Bag is based on the national EMSC Pediatric Equipment and Supplies for Ambulances lists and the ENA Crash Cards, a nationally recognized color-code treatment system for children.

Elizabeth Davy, Chair of the GFWC-WI project said: “Last year in Wisconsin, more than 30,000 children were so ill or injured they required ambulance transport to a hospital. Our dedicated EMS providers need the right size supplies and equipment to provide the best possible emergency medical care, not only locally but also throughout the state. Ped Bags are one component to a successful outcome for these children. Local residents can help too. Contact Chief Peter Parker with the Bristol Fire Department to help, whether as a donation for pediatric training or other equipment, or to volunteer.”

GFWC members statewide have been raising money and awareness to fund these specialized Ped Bags for Wisconsin ambulances. The project, initiated in Oconomowoc, WI, has won state and national awards, and has been initiated in several other states. To help on this project, please contact Davy at ESD@LCE.BIZ.

Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation, Inc. is the charitable arm of the Brewers organization. The Brewers Community Foundation harnesses the pride, passion and commitment of Brewers’ fans, players and other supporters to positively impact the lives of children and their families in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

The Bristol Fire Department is one of the oldest Fire Departments in Kenosha County serving the community since 1899. The Department started delivering Emergency Medical Service to its citizens in the 1970’s as a Basic Life Support Unit. Today the 42 men and women of the Bristol Fire Department provide an Advanced Life Support Service to its community with 2 ambulances. Bristol Fire Department continues its commitment to providing the highest level of care to its community for all persons regardless of age. This grant enhances the department’s ability to provide a superior Advanced Life Support service to even the  littlest patients thanks to the gracious grant from the GFWC-WI and the Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation.

The Bristol Fire Department thanks the grantors for their donation and anticipates the Jump Kit Bags will be in service before the year’s end of 2010, Chief Parker said.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is the world’s largest and oldest nonpartisan, nondenominational, women’s volunteer service organization. More than 100,000 members in more than a dozen countries volunteer in a wide variety of projects in their communities to make a difference and change lives.