Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County EMS officials met with U.S. Rep. John Faso at his office in Kinderhook last week. The discussion with county EMS Chief Stephen Brucato and EMS Coordinator Sean Hotaling focused on federal grant funding, a spokesman for the Kinderhook Republican said. One of two projects discussed was the purchase of four battery-powered Lucas CPR devices. The device allows EMS professionals to perform other tasks while simultaneously conducting CPR. The price tag for the equipment, with batteries and the charging units, totals $76,000, Brucato said. Another item of interest to the EMS team are stab-resistant ballistic vests. Overdose patients sometimes become violent after being jolted into consciousness by naloxone, Brucato said. “There are stories every day of EMS providers being attacked,” Brucato said. “Thankfully, we haven’t had that yet.” The price for 75 to 100 of the special vests could total close to $54,000, the chief said. In a related item, the congressman announced Wed., Sep. 6, Assistance to Firefighter Grants awarded to the Claverack and Stuyvesant Falls fire districts in Columbia County and the Milan Fire Department in Dutchess County. In Claverack, the grant will be used to help replace obsolete self-contained breathing apparatus devices, A.B. Shaw Fire Company Assistant Chief George Keeler said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.