PSP, PRSC distributes $3.17M of life-saving equipment

Odessa American, Texas
·3 min read

Oct. 25—The Permian Strategic Partnership and the Permian Road Safety Coalition announced on Tuesday it held a kick-off event for the second round of its collaborative "First Responder Life-Saving Equipment Initiative."

Previously, PSP and PRSC announced this $3.17 million donation of life-saving equipment fund life-saving equipment to first responders in 26 counties across West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. This partnership builds upon the first round of the initiative which was previously funded by the PSP in 2021 with a $1.1 million donation.

The event, held at the Midland Fire Department Training Center, included remarks from PSP CEO Tracee Bentley, PRSC Executive Director Ellen K. Ramsey, ConocoPhillips Lower 48 HSE Manager Vanessa Rawlins and Midland Fire Department Chief Mike Blumenauer were also in attendance.

Additionally, the event held a live demonstration of the compressed air foam system extinguishing a live fire. The CAF system can be quickly deployed by one first-on-scene responder in order to prevent vehicle fires or small brush fires from becoming larger wildfires — a key need identified by many Permian Basin fire departments. The CAF was included in the equipment package and demonstrated the immediate impact these tools can have in times of urgent need.

"The PSP is honored to continue supporting our first responder and law enforcement partners across the entire region through a new round of funding for this initiative," Tracee Bentley, President and CEO of the Permian Strategic Partnership, stated in the press release. "Importantly, this second phase nearly triples the amount of our prior support and will expand our reach across the Permian Basin while strategically placing equipment and tools where they are most needed."

"First responders play a key role in improving road safety across the Permian Basin," Ellen K. Ramsey, Executive Director of the Permian Road Safety Coalition, stated in the press release. "It is an honor to work closely with them and, with the tremendous support from PSP, provide this life-saving equipment to the benefit of the entire Permian Basin."

Specific life-saving equipment needs were identified through close collaboration with Permian Basin first responders. The PSP funding will provide a base-level equipment kit for 82 first responder departments with customized equipment and gear to accommodate unique needs that vary across the Permian Basin. This equipment will include medical supply kits, fire extinguishers, wildfire and structure fire protective clothing, gas monitors, mobile lighting tools, and rescue helicopter landing zone kits.

First responding agencies, many of whom are staffed by volunteers, have limited infrastructure and resources designed only to respond to local jurisdictions with small populations (less than 10,000). It is not unusual to see responders travel over an hour by road to respond to calls for assistance. This life-saving equipment will allow first responders to aid victims and prevent fatalities in otherwise survivable crashes while waiting for additional help to arrive on the scene.

First responder agencies receiving this equipment are located in the Texas counties of Andrews, Borden, Brewster, Crane, Culberson, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Jeff Davis, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, Winkler, and Yoakum; and the New Mexico counties of Eddy, Lea and Chaves. The equipment will be distributed at a series of events across the Permian Basin in November and December.