One of our most recent collaborations has been with CommHIT, which was awarded a Rural Healthcare Grant from the US Department of Labor. The resulting initiative is called “Rural Roads to Connected Care” which seeks to increase response times and the overall efficiency of first responders serving rural communities.

This program has begun in Monroe County, FL, which currently has a population of about 85,000. This makes it only the 38th largest county among the 67 that we have in Florida, yet it also ranks as the state’s largest county, in terms of size. Monroe County is 3,738 square miles, over 1,400 square miles larger than our second-biggest county, Miami-Dade. However, about three-fourths of that space is water, which makes for one of the most complex logistical challenges faced by first responders anywhere in the country.

This is where CommHIT comes in, by leveraging its technological advantages on behalf of public officials in Monroe County to help provide a better standard of care for citizens from Key West to Key Largo, and everywhere in-between. We spoke with R.L. Colina, the Deputy Fire Chief of Monroe County, who praised CommHIT for helping them train a new generation of first responders, using their own resources to help supplement their existing infrastructure. This includes things like boats, helicopters, as well as technology and training for police, fire departments, EMTs, health care professionals and more.

Monroe County represents the southernmost point of the entire United States, with white sand, clear blue water, and a climate that is the envy of the entire world. But it’s not always so glamorous. CommHIT and the US Department of Labor have stepped up to help improve lives in this community, and Kumar Pictures was happy to help spotlight the efforts.

More information can be found at http://communityhealthit.org/rrcc

Leave a Comment