By KIM SKORNOGOSKI
Great Falls Tribune Staff Writer

The widow of a longtime fire chief surprised the department by handing over a $25,000 donation to help provide advanced life support service at the Fox Farm and Downtown stations.

Fire Station 2 near Montana ExpoPark and Fire Station 3 at 3325 Central Ave. are suited with the equipment and are staffed with certified paramedics to help provide ambulance service in Great Falls.

Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Young said that thanks to Lucille Carrico's donation Tuesday, the Fox Farm station soon could be ready.

So far, 18 firefighters have been trained as paramedics and 44 are emergency medical technicians. Six to 12 more must be trained before all four stations can provide advanced life support.

Great Falls Fire/Rescue is working to raise $60,000 more to pay for the training and equipment, including the expensive defibrillators. Three weeks ago, an anonymous donation of $32,628 from a local foundation was used to buy two defibrillators.

More than 30 firefighters gave $2,700 by designating their United Way donations to the Charles C. Carrico Advanced Life Support Trust, named for the fire chief who died in 1999.

Anyone interested in donating to the trust can call 761-2928.