Cole County EMS to get bulletproof vests

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County emergency medical personnel have been approved for new bullet-stopping vests.

In a meeting Tuesday, the Cole County Commission unanimously approved a grant to Cole County EMS of $22,852 from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.

A news release says Cole County EMS received the grant from the Firehouse Foundation to help increase security and ensure that the community is better prepared for emergencies.

According to the National Institutes of Health, EMS personnel have a rate of occupational violence injuries about 22 times higher than the average for all workers.

The money will be used to purchase 40 ballistic plate carriers, 40 ballistic plate kits and 80 ID place cards through Titan Armor Solutions.

It wasn't immediately clear when the agency would receive the vests.

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