OXNARD : City Fire Engines to Get Defibrillators

The Oxnard City Council voted unanimously to stock the city’s firetrucks with heart-starting equipment, ending a one-man crusade to get the devices installed on engines at Oxnard’s six fire stations.

Realtor Skip Harkson asked officials to put defibrillators, which stimulate weak heartbeats with electric shock, on city fire engines after learning that Oxnard has the only fire department in Ventura County without the life-saving devices.

“I’m here representing the citizens of Oxnard on the issue of saving lives,” Harkson told council members Tuesday. “At any unexpected moment any one of us can suffer a heart attack.”

The city Fire Department contracts with a private ambulance company that provides defibrillation service.

But in a presentation Tuesday, Harkson pointed out that city fire engines, which also respond to emergency calls, routinely arrive minutes before the ambulances, and those minutes could mean the difference between life and death.

“In less than two weeks, you can have this lifesaving equipment on the street saving lives,” Harkson said.

Council members voted to purchase the equipment but asked city staff to clear up conflicting reports about how much a defibrillator program would cost.

Fire Chief Richard Smith told the council that first year start-up costs would be about $50,000 for the equipment and $10,000 for training. However, Harkson put the costs closer to a total of $17,000, including the costs for refurbished defibrillator units and a promise of free training from local doctors.

“We don’t have to go out and do a study, and we don’t want to take a lot more time,” said Councilman Michael Plisky. “We need to have this in place soon.”