This press release has also been posted to EMS World and EMS1.

The New Orleans Emergency Medical Services Foundation (The Foundation) donated two technical rope rescue kits to New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS) after receiving a grant from Monsanto Fund.

The $5,000 grant has allowed NOEMS to replace their outdated technical rope rescue gear with state-of-the-art Roco Rescue gear, specifically two main line kits and one safety kit.

According to Cedric Palmisano, the Deputy Chief of Special Operations and Logistics, NOEMS averages at least one technical rope rescue per month.  So this donation will allow NOEMS to continue to respond, and safety extricate patients, from some of the most logistically complicated locations including the sewer system, roof tops, and the side of high rise buildings.

Each main line kit It comes with 200ft of 1/2in rope padding, carabiners, directional and hauling pulleys, and other necessary gear for a rescue including the Petzl ID-L which not only allows the operator more control over their descent, but can also be converted to an emergency hauling system if needed.  The safety line kit contains the equipment necessary to create a safety belay system.

The New Orleans EMS Foundation is grateful to Monsanto Fund for recognizing the role technical rescue plays in the successful operations of NOEMS.

This year, the Monsanto Fund awarded more than $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations through its site grant initiative to help address essential needs in rural communities. Nonprofit organizations across the U.S. have received more than $7.5 million through this program over the last five years.