UVALDE COUNTY, Texas – Utopia Volunteer Emergency Medical Services soon will purchase an automated CPR device, thanks to a $21,048 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bandera Electric Cooperative.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $9,020 in matching funds from the volunteer EMS, will enable the organization to equip all of its ambulances with tools medics can use to perform high-quality, consistent CPR during cardiac emergencies. The automated devices allow first responders to deal with other life-threatening issues while CPR is being administered.
“This grant is a tremendous boost for our organization,” said Douglas Carlyle, president of Utopia Volunteer EMS. “We currently have three licensed ambulances, but only two are equipped with the automated CPR devices. Our third unit has an outdated chest compression system that we're no longer able to service or get parts for. If it were to fail, we wouldn’t be able to replace it without waiting years for another grant opportunity. Thanks to this funding, we can ensure all three ambulances have the same lifesaving capability.”
Carlyle said the EMS team strives to stay equipped with the latest emergency equipment in pre-hospital care since the nearest facility is more than 40 miles away.
“For a rural community like ours, where the nearest hospital is 42 miles from the center of our service area, it’s simply not practical to rely on manual chest compressions during transport,” Carlyle said. “This new device brings peace of mind to our team and the people we serve. It means consistent, high-quality care is available in every ambulance, every time it’s needed.”
Utopia Volunteer EMS provides services in Uvalde, Bandera, Medina and Real counties.
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bandera Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available at lcra.org/grants.