Trotwood Fire Department receives grant to improve equipment

The Trotwood Fire Department has received a grant from the Department of Homeland Security for more than $200,000 to purchase cot lifting devices.

The new devices will automatically load the medical cots into the emergency vehicles without requiring firefighters to physically lift them in their own.

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Trotwood Fire Chief Richard Haackle says both firefighters and patients have been injured in the past from either dropping the cot, or trying to lift a patient. The medical cots weight up to 150 lbs. before a patient is placed on them.

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The new equipment will be installed in all six of their medical vehicles and Chief Haackle said they expect all vehicles to be equipped with the technology in the next six months.

News Center 7’s Malik Perkins will have more on this story beginning at 5 p.m. on WHIO Channel 7.