Flagler County Fire Rescue gets lift devices to prevent responder injuries

Every fire engine in Flagler County is now equipped with specialized patient-transfer devices designed to prevent back injuries among firefighters, following a $5,000 grant secured by the county's Risk Management division. The Binder Lift devices, which help responders move patients from floors and tight spaces without manual lifting, address what has become the most frequent workers' compensation claim in the county's fire-rescue ranks.

Flagler County Risk Management received the grant match through the county's insurance carrier, Preferred Governmental Insurance Trust (PGIT), and its Training Incentive Program for Safety (TIPS). PGIT representatives presented the check to county officials on Wednesday, July 23. The funding allowed the county to purchase enough devices to outfit the entire Flagler County Fire Rescue fleet.

What's happening

The need for the transfer aids emerged during a quarterly Fire Rescue meeting in January 2026, when the Human Resources team delivered a presentation on ADA accommodations. During that meeting, Lt. John Keppler of Flagler County Fire Rescue highlighted recurring back injuries among firefighters, particularly when assisting patients from the floor — scenarios that occur frequently in medical calls where elderly or mobility-impaired patients have fallen.

"Lt. John Keppler highlighted the urgent need for transfer aids (like the Binder Lift devices), noting that many firefighters struggle with recurring back injuries, especially when assisting patients from the floor," said Mark Muzii, Flagler County's Risk Manager, in the county's announcement. Muzii confirmed that back injuries have become the most frequent workers' compensation claim category for Flagler County employees.

The grant was secured through PGIT's TIPS program, which provides matching funds to member governments for safety equipment and training that can reduce workers' compensation losses. Preferred Governmental Insurance Trust is a government-focused insurance pool serving Florida counties and municipalities. The $5,000 award represented a grant match, meaning the county likely contributed matching funds to complete the purchase.

"Given that transfer aids were specifically requested, we had a compelling reason to seek grant funding for their procurement," Muzii said. "I'm pleased to report that our grant application was approved, and every Flagler County fire engine is now equipped with the Binder Lift device."

Impact on firefighters and emergency response

The deployment of Binder Lift devices across the Flagler County Fire Rescue fleet represents a direct response to occupational health data showing the physical toll of patient-handling on first responders. Firefighters and paramedics routinely lift and move patients in awkward positions — from bathroom floors, narrow hallways, and second-story bedrooms — often with little room to maneuver or maintain proper body mechanics.

Back injuries are a leading cause of lost work time and long-term disability claims among firefighters nationwide. The repetitive strain of patient transfers, combined with the unpredictable nature of emergency calls and the physical demands of firefighting, creates cumulative injury risk over a career. Transfer devices like the Binder Lift use leverage and friction-reducing materials to allow one or two responders to safely move a patient who would otherwise require multiple people manually lifting.

For Flagler County Fire Rescue personnel, the immediate benefit is injury prevention on the job. Chronic back injuries can end firefighting careers and lead to years of workers' compensation medical treatment and lost-time claims. By equipping every engine company with a transfer device, the county ensures that responders have the tool available on every medical call, rather than needing to wait for a specialized unit or resort to manual lifting.

The equipment also benefits patients. Manual lifting from the floor can be uncomfortable or painful for patients with hip fractures, spinal injuries, or other conditions. Transfer aids distribute weight more evenly and allow responders to move patients in a more controlled, dignified manner. For elderly residents — a substantial portion of Flagler County's population — the difference can mean less pain and anxiety during an already stressful medical emergency.

Cost savings and workers' compensation trends

From a financial perspective, the $5,000 investment in transfer devices could generate significant workers' compensation savings for Flagler County taxpayers. A single serious back injury claim can cost tens of thousands of dollars in medical treatment, physical therapy, wage replacement, and potential long-term disability payments. If the devices prevent even one or two lost-time injury claims per year, the return on investment would be substantial.

Flagler County's Risk Management division, which sits within the Human Resources department, manages the county's self-insured workers' compensation program and tracks injury trends across all county operations. The identification of back injuries as the leading claim type, and the swift action to secure grant funding for a solution, reflects data-driven risk management — using claims history to target prevention investments.

The PGIT TIPS grant program is structured to incentivize exactly this kind of proactive approach. By offering matching funds for safety equipment and training, the insurance trust reduces its own long-term claims exposure while helping member governments protect employees and control costs. Florida local governments that participate in insurance pools like PGIT typically benefit from lower premiums than they would pay in the commercial market, along with access to risk-management resources and grant programs.

For Flagler County, the ability to equip an entire fleet for $5,000 in grant funds (plus any local match) represents efficient procurement. Had the county needed to fund the purchase entirely from its operating budget or workers' compensation reserves, the competing budget priorities in a growing county might have delayed or scaled back the deployment.

What happens next

The Binder Lift devices are now in service across Flagler County Fire Rescue. The next steps will be training and utilization tracking — ensuring that all firefighters and paramedics know how to properly use the devices and that crews consistently deploy them on appropriate calls.

Risk Management will likely monitor workers' compensation claims over the next year to assess whether the transfer aids reduce the frequency or severity of back injury claims. That data would inform future equipment decisions and could support additional grant applications for other safety equipment needs identified by fire-rescue or other county departments.

The county has not announced plans for additional safety equipment purchases, but the successful TIPS grant application establishes a template for addressing other occupational hazards through the insurance trust's incentive program. Flagler County Fire Rescue, like fire departments across Florida, continuously evaluates equipment and procedures to balance the demands of emergency response with the long-term health and safety of personnel.

The investment in patient-transfer devices reflects the broader challenge facing Flagler County and its Northeast Florida neighbors: maintaining service levels and protecting a workforce in a region experiencing rapid growth and an aging population. As call volumes rise — both from population growth and from the healthcare needs of older residents — equipping responders with tools to work safely becomes essential to sustaining operations and controlling the costs that ultimately fall to taxpayers.