TAHOE CITY, Calif. – North Tahoe Fire has received equipment that will help the agency expand its fleet of cardiac care supplies.

Five mechanical chest compression devices were made possible through a funding partnership with the Truckee Tahoe Airport District and also a benevolent contribution from the Gary Sinise Foundation.

The TTAD approved nearly $60,000 in October for the purchase of three mechanical chest compression devices. TTAD has a history of supporting projects that benefit its constituents, including investing in community safety, through partnerships with local agencies and nonprofits. TTAD’s Agency Partnership Program was established in 2011 with a goal to partner with other local agencies for the public good. This is not the first time TTAD has partnered with NTFPD on community safety. 

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In 2021, TTAD awarded NTFPD over $90k for mechanical electronic defibrillators and cardiac monitors, helping the agency reach its goal of equipping 100% of their engines at the advanced life support level. The program provides advanced funding to purchase equipment, eliminating the burden that NTFPD would experience by carrying the costs while awaiting reimbursement.

The Gary Sinise Foundation, founded in 2011, donated two mechanical chest compression devices valued at nearly $40,000 via direct delivery in October. The Gary Sinise Foundation was established under the philanthropic direction of award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been an advocate of our nation’s defenders for 40 years. The Foundation’s First Responders Outreach Fund provides critical funding for the donation of essential equipment.

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The devices provide uninterrupted high-quality, high performance chest compressions to victims of cardiac arrest to achieve life-saving circulation, which frees up the firefighter/paramedic to perform other life-saving interventions at the same time the mechanical chest compressions are being performed during transport to the hospital. Firefighters demonstrated the equipment at NTFPD’s May board meeting.

“North Tahoe Fire is grateful to the Truckee Tahoe Airport District and the Gary Sinise Foundation,” said North Tahoe Fire Steve Leighton. “It is through their partnership and generosity that we are able to obtain equipment that helps our firefighters provide the best available care to our community members.”

NTFPD provides ALS paramedics and ambulance transport to the North and West shores of Lake Tahoe, covering 32 miles of shoreline from Nevada state line/Brockway to Emerald Bay, on the lake waters in cooperation with United States Coast Guard, out to Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley, and provides mutual and auto aid to Truckee Fire, Northstar Fire, and North Lake Tahoe Fire in Incline Village.