By Lonnie Huhman
The Daily Telegraph
ADRIAN, Mich. — The Adrian Fire Department has a new life-saving device.
It doesn’t get tired and it allows continuous chest compressions to a person suffering a cardiac arrest; even as emergency responders hurry the person on a stretcher down a stairway toward the waiting ambulance.
“The hope is that this will help increase the chances of survivability, especially in certain situations where providing manual compressions are very difficult to do,” fire chief Tim Bartenslager said of the recently purchased Lucas Chest Compression System.
The device’s manufacturer claims it to be a safe and efficient tool that standardizes chest compressions in accordance with the latest scientific guidelines.
Bartenslager said former fire chief Paul Trinka was working on getting one prior to his retirement, so he picked up where Trinka left off and was able to get one in May. He said it’s most likely the wave of the future for other departments. The entire city department has been trained to use it.
The challenge with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, for the emergency responders is that they can become tired after two minutes and may not be able to apply the right amount of compression in order to push down the correct depth. CPR is used to maintain circulation when the heart has stopped pumping on its own, so it’s critical it is done properly. Other challenges with CPR is the situation might require the emergency responder to stop the compressions in order to do some other important duty during the life-saving process.
The device is supposed to answer all of these challenges.
Bartenslager said the new chest compression device adheres to the guidelines dictated by the American Heart Association and delivers a consistent set of needed compressions. He also said the department currently is challenged with limited manpower, so if needed the device can be put in place while the responder attends to another duty.
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