GLIDE -- The Glide Rural Fire Protection District received a $5,000 grant recently to buy a Life Pack 12 monitor/defibrillator from the Northwest Health Foundation.

However, the state-of-the-art unit costs $15,847, and the district only has until the end of December to raise the balance.

The defibrillator would help local paramedics transmit vital information about a patient's cardiac condition to emergency room physicians on the way to the hospital.

Deputy Fire Chief Terry Dean issued a written statement urging the public to help the district obtain the new equipment.

"If we are able to purchase this equipment it is another step Glide Fire Department has taken to improve the cardiac care it gives the residents of Glide," Dean said. "The American Heart Association has set standards for providing cardiac emergency care and our goal is to follow those standards."

The mission of the foundation that provided the grant is to advance, support and promote the health of the people of Oregon and southwest Washington.

Anyone interested in contributing to the defibrillator fund can either bring donations to the fire department, or send them to: Glide Rural Fire Protection District, P.O. Box 446 Glide, OR 97443.

If the extra $10,847 is not raised by the deadline, the department loses the grant.