Genoa FD gets new defib unit

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Genoa Township trustees have agreed to purchase a new heart monitor and defibrillator for the township fire department.

During the Feb. 4 trustees’ meeting, Fire Chief Gary Honeycutt asked trustees to approve the purchase of a LIFEPAK 15 heart monitor and defibrillator from Physio-Control Inc.

Honeycutt said the $23,664 unit would replace the department’s 14-year-old model.

“The old LIFEPAK 12 is no longer supported,” Honeycutt said. “This is for our first-out medic unit. It’s state bid, and it has been budgeted in the 2016 appropriations.”

Trustees approved the purchase.

Honeycutt also asked trustees to approve donating the department’s 15 older self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) to Belmont College in St. Clairsville.

Trustee Frank Dantonio asked why the department would give the SCBAs away for free.

“The township received new ones from grant money,” Honeycutt said. “The grant stipulates that we cannot profit from selling the old units that the new units are replacing.”

Honeycutt also noted that he inquired to determine if a local firefighting training school would use the units, with no takers.

Trustees approved donating the 15 older SCBAs to Belmont, specifically for non-smoke training use.

Trustees also approved a new, three-year labor agreement with the International Association of Firefighters, Local 4307, following three months of collective bargaining.

Township Administrator Paul Wise said the contract has no major changes over the previous contract.

“Firefighters and the township agreed to a 3 percent per year wage increase over the next three years,” Wise said. “We reached an agreement everybody could live with.”

The IAFF Local 4307 labor agreement is on the township website at genoatwp.com.

By Lenny C. Lepola

For The Gazette

Lenny C. Lepola can be reached at 614-266-6093. Email: [email protected].

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