Media Release
Contact
Fire Chief Todd Bowen
(856) 451-0091
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kevin C. Rabago, Sr.
(856) 451-3407
BRIDGETON EMS GETS
EXTRA MECHANICAL HELPING HAND FOR DOING CPR
Bridgeton’s EMS squads are getting a helping hand, in
more ways than one, when it comes to responding to calls that might have them
doing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), whether in Bridgeton or in one of
the surrounding townships in western Cumberland County that they serve under
various shared services agreements.
The helping hand comes courtesy of the Assistance to
Firefighters (AFG) grant from the Department of Homeland Security which awarded
Bridgeton’s Fire Department a $65,000 grant to purchase four automated CPR
devices known as the “Lucas 3 Chest Compression System”.
The Lucas 3 devices will debut on Bridgeton’s three
frontline ambulances and the shift supervisor vehicle beginning in early
November and the purpose of the Lucas 3 is to deliver consistent and effective
chest compressions during a cardiac arrest, especially when moving a patient or
during transport to the hospital.
This should come as good news to residents because with a
coverage area of 76 square miles encompassing Bridgeton and several townships
on the west side of the county including Hopewell, Greenwich, and Stow Creek;
it can take up to 30 mins or more, depending on the circumstances, to get a
patient to the hospital for more extensive care.
According to Chief Todd Bowen, the Lucas 3 will mean
better odds for the patient and better safety for EMTs. “We cover a lot of
ground and serve roughly 33,000 residents. These devices will help our patients
and staff because they won’t need to be standing in the back of the ambulance
trying to deliver proper compressions while the ambulance is moving down the
road” Bowen said.
The Lucas 3 devices, costing slightly more than $14,000
per unit, are each the size of a small back pack and each has its own battery,
charger and supply of disposable cups that are changed after each patient use.
In the days leading up to the November launch of the
Lucas 3, the focus will be on training. Over the past week and in the days
ahead, EMTs and fire personnel will complete technical training from the
manufacturer as well as practical use training from the medical director as to the
circumstances when Lucas 3 should be deployed.
“As a tool, these devices will be critical in certain
situations, such as when a patient is being moved from a difficult area as well
as during transport. They provide effective and consistent compressions without
getting tired or fatigued which can sometimes happen when people do
compressions. But it is also important to know when they should not be used
such as with a child or a frail elderly person, that’s when you will want
compressions from a trained EMT” said Bowen.
The hope is to have few occasions when the devices will actually
be needed, but with an average of 80- 100 cardiac arrest calls per year, having
the 4 units will mean that one will always be available even if ambulances are
responding to other calls or tied up at the Inspira Medical Center Vineland 25
minutes away.
“It’s all about providing the most efficient and
effective care possible for the residents and neighbors that depend on us. I
appreciate the hard work of Chief Bowen and his team in ensuring that we have
these Lucas 3 devices as part of our EMS tool kit- it will save lives” said
Bridgeton Mayor Albert B. Kelly.
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