When Worthington Fire & EMS responds to your emergency incident, there are literally millions of dollars of resources that are sent to assist you. The most highly visible are the trucks and personnel, but inside each of these vehicles is an incredible array of supplies and equipment that allow us to perform tasks such as extinguishing your fire, stabilizing your medical situation, and releasing you from your car crash.
There is an entire industry built upon the manufacture of emergency equipment, and our staff is constantly working with these vendors to obtain the most appropriate items to serve you. Many of these are required to meet strict testing and acceptance standards that make them eligible for use in emergency situations. Some items, however, are the same as what you would purchase at a retail establishment for your household or business use. An example is the absorbent material we use at roadway crashes when oil, antifreeze, and other vehicle fluids spill on the pavement.
If you were to visit the firehouse today and open the cabinets on the trucks, you would encounter things like chain saws, cardiac monitors, leak-plugging kits, chemical protective clothing, hydraulic rescue tools, axes, IV solutions, radiation monitors, plastic tarps, obstetrical kits, nozzles, personnel accountability boards, ropes and rigging, shovels, and pulse oximeters. And this list barely even scratches the surface of the total inventory.
Having this equipment on-hand and in a ready-condition is a critical part of the "readiness" component of emergency operations.