Somerton Cocopah Fire gets $30,000 grant

Funds to be used for "jaws of life" equipment

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Somerton Cocopah Fire Department (SCFD) recently received a $30,000 grant from Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (AZGOHS) to buy a critical tool in its lifesaving mission.

SCFD will use the funding to purchase the new generation hydraulic extrication equipment, more commonly known as the "jaws of life." Firefighters use the equipment to free victims of traffic accidents.

Somerton Fire says the new system will be put to good use. Chief Paul DeAnda says his crews responded to 143 crashes in 2019. 8 involved extrications. That's more than in the preceding two-years.

The timing of the grant is also fortunate. DeAnda says SCFD's current equipment is more than a decade old, and near the end of its service life.