First Responders’ Automatic CPR Device ‘Doesn’t Get Tired’

Improved technology that automatically does CPR will take some of the burden off first responders and likely save lives.

The device, called LUCAS 3, is portable and consists of a compression unit that goes on the patient’s chest and a plate placed under their back that then performs chest compressions.

The device gives first responders a chance to rest and help calm a chaotic scene while it does the work.

“The main thing about it is it’s consistent and it doesn’t get tired,” Tom Barsi, education manager for Orchard Park, N.Y., Fire District EMS, told the Buffalo News. “If somebody is doing manual CPR and they’re pushing on someone’s chest with their hands, they can do it for a period of time. You need to perform 100 to 120 compressions a minute. You can do it for a little bit, but you get tired.”

Orchard Park Fire District EMS obtained the devices from the Erie County Health Department on a loan. The health department wants to see how they work in the field, as it plans to use the devices as part of an ambulance service.

The devices cost $16,000 to $20,000 each and reportedly are not as user-friendly as an automatic external defibrillator. However, they are better than the first-generation models that came out in the early 2000s and had challenges with power and batteries that didn’t last very long.

They are not supposed to replace manual CPR, but supplement it. It’s also important that the first person on the scene begins manual CPR as soon as possible, before the first responders arrive.

“It’s very helpful when we have low manpower,” said Chris Richardson, a member of the Lake View, N.Y., Fire District. “It is a really huge asset to have, and since we’ve been using it, it’s been quite successful.”