MEXICO – Emergency medical technicians at Med-Care Ambulance now resemble firefighters when it comes to protective gear.

A $3,570 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office in Lewiston supplemented $7,720 fronted by Med-Care to buy 22 sets of protective gear at $11,290 for full-time employees.

The black jackets and pants are designed to allow medics and EMTs to safely crawl into wrecked vehicles to aid injured people until firefighters can extricate the trapped victims.

“The suits allow us to get out of there without our clothing catching on fire,” said Med-Care Director Dean Milligan.

Med-Care’s goal is eventually to provide a set for each of its 60 employees.

Late Tuesday morning, Milligan was presented a check from Alden R. Turner, a loan officer with the Lewiston office.

A 2001 mandate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration required Med-Care to protect its personnel from blood-borne pathogens and potential flash fires at wreck scenes or stop providing medical and rescue services at crashes.

“We had a choice of either not providing the service – which would have made area fire departments provide something they’re not trained to do – or do it, and get the protective gear. We’ve been doing it for 15 years, so we were not about to stop,” Milligan said.

Despite the mandate, Med-Care was allowed time to find funding while staying in compliance. While searching for grants, Milligan said he learned that the federal department could help.

Turner said that funding for the grant comes from a community facilities grant program. His office helps fire, rescue and ambulance services to buy needed protective equipment, he added.