LCRA, Bandera Electric Co-op award $21,048 grant to Utopia Volunteer EMS
New automated CPR device will help first responders provide lifesaving care in cardiac emergencies
June 6, 2025
UVALDE COUNTY, Texas – Utopia Volunteer Emergency Medical Services soon will purchase an automated CPR device, thanks to a $21,048 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bandera Electric Cooperative.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $9,020 in matching funds from the volunteer EMS, will enable the organization to equip all of its ambulances with tools medics can use to perform high-quality, consistent CPR during cardiac emergencies. The automated devices allow first responders to deal with other life-threatening issues while CPR is being administered.
“This grant is a tremendous boost for our organization,” said Douglas Carlyle, president of Utopia Volunteer EMS. “We currently have three licensed ambulances, but only two are equipped with the automated CPR devices. Our third unit has an outdated chest compression system that we’re no longer able to service or get parts for. If it were to fail, we wouldn’t be able to replace it without waiting years for another grant opportunity. Thanks to this funding, we can ensure all three ambulances have the same lifesaving capability.”
Carlyle said the EMS team strives to stay equipped with the latest emergency equipment in pre-hospital care since the nearest facility is more than 40 miles away.
“For a rural community like ours, where the nearest hospital is 42 miles from the center of our service area, it’s simply not practical to rely on manual chest compressions during transport,” Carlyle said. “This new device brings peace of mind to our team and the people we serve. It means consistent, high-quality care is available in every ambulance, every time it’s needed.”
Utopia Volunteer EMS provides services in Uvalde, Bandera, Medina and Real counties.
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bandera Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.
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