Lake County Fire Rescue has added an important tool to its arsenal that will be used in the event of an active attacker situation.
The new protective gear, funded by a $34,000 state Emergency Medical Services grant, includes ballistic vests, ballistic helmets, bleeding control bags, medical gear, tourniquets and rapid extraction patient movers. It will be used by members of Lake County’s Rescue Task Force if they are called to an active attacker situation.
The gear will be strategically placed on fire apparatuses throughout the County, ensuring that it’s readily available should an emergency arise.
“Our firefighters have been training for nearly a year on our countywide active attacker response, learning tactical medicine, establishing a rescue task force and how to use the appropriate gear during an emergency,” said Lake County Fire Rescue EMS Chief Dan Miller. “Now that we have the gear, it’s the final piece of the puzzle and it will be instrumental in keeping the public safe.”
Firefighters from Lake County Fire Rescue protect residents and visitors in an area covering approximately 1,200 square miles. That includes nearly 70,000 residences and up to 2,000 commercial properties.
