Lehighton Ambulance Association is in need of donations to help supplement or offset the cost for new emergency care equipment.

By a 6-0 vote on Monday, borough council agreed to consider making a possible capital donation from out of its 2015 budget to the Lehighton Ambulance Association for its Life Pack 15 monitor/defibrillators. Councilman Darryl Arner was absent.Joni Gestl, administrative coordinator, said that in May, the association purchased seven brand-new Physio-Control Life Pak 15 Monitor/Defibrillators with accessories.Council President Grant Hunsicker told Gestl the borough does not have money to contribute toward the equipment in this year's budget.Gestl said that so far, the association has received about $12,000, but said it's been a struggle.Councilman Scott Rehrig told Gestl he commends the association for the service it provides to Carbon County.Rehrig then said that while he doesn't have a problem supporting the cause, he wants to wait to see if the borough will have money available to set aside from out of next year's spending plan before agreeing to take such action.But Councilman Joe Flickinger said he believes the situation is to the point where the borough cannot afford to contribute toward the cause, and said he believes council needs to step up to the plate.The Life Pak 15s serve to replace the Life Pak 12 monitor/defibrillators the association has used for the past nine years, Gestl said.Each Life Pak 15 with needed accessories costs $34,545, said Gestl, who added that the association took on the entire expenditure for seven of them at a cost of $241,815.The purchase of the Life Pak 15 monitor/defibrillators became necessary as the Life Pak 12s the association had been using had become antiquated and prone to failure, causing constant expensive repairs, she said.Gestl said the devices are extremely important, as they are the main tool used when treating patients who are presenting with a cardiac event. Each monitor allows for EKG monitoring, as well as 12-lead monitoring for a patient who is having a heart attack, she said.