New life saving equipment put into service at the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department.

New life saving equipment put into service at the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

By the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1

Westminster Volunteer Fire Department, Westminster Md. - - Thanks to a generous BGE Public Safety Grant, money donated by the local community, and the continuing support from the city of Westminster the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 recently put into service medical technology that could help reduce mortality rates for patients experiencing cardiac arrest.

Along with personal injuries due to falls, motor vehicle accidents, and drug overdoses, the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department continues to see an uptick in the number of calls for cardiac arrests.

Last year, in 2015, the department ran 5,743 EMS. That’s an increase of over a thousand calls a years from five years ago in 2010 when the department ran 4,731 calls. Add to that the 1,917 fire calls in 2015, and Westminster remains one of the busiest fire stations in the state.

To respond to that many calls a year requires lots of staffing and the latest technology available to stretch limited resources. According to Westminster Fire Department PIO Kevin Dayhoff, in January the department was able to purchase a cutting edge LUCAS Chest Compression System for treatment of the out of hospital acute cardiac arrest. Of the $14,000 price tag for the equipment, $5,000.00 was donated to the company by a BGE grant.

Valencia A. McClure, the director of communications for BGE noted, “At BGE, the safety of our customers and employees is paramount. We greatly value our partnership with emergency response and safety organizations who share our mission… We appreciate everything that our emergency responder partners do to help keep our customers safe in Carroll County and beyond.”

Planning and research into obtaining the LUCUS device began last year. According to multiple media sources, including an article on the National Institute of Health website titled, “Use of the LUCAS mechanical chest compression device for percutaneous coronary intervention during cardiac arrest: is it really a game changer?,” - “Cardiac arrest has a dire prognosis, with an average of only 5% of patients being discharged alive without neurologic problems after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

“Despite improvements in medical therapy and other devices modifying ventilatory support, cardiopulmonary support based especially on closed chest compression is pivotal to maximize survival chances. However, manual chest compression is energy consuming and operator-intensive.

“Moreover, it cannot be performed successfully for a prolonged period of time by any individual healthcare provider nor in logistically challenging settings… Manual chest compression appears particularly challenging for patients in cardiac arrest who also require an emergent invasive procedure, such as primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)… The LUCAS mechanical chest compression device provides external and automated closed chest compression, thus enabling even complex invasive procedures without interrupting cardiopulmonary support.”

In other words, many cardiac arrests occur in and around the home and farm, in places where it is difficult and time-consuming to respond. Manually performing CPR chest compressions for long periods of time during a long ambulance ride to the hospital can be physically difficult and sometimes not possible. This is where the LUCAS device comes into play.

According to Westminster Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim Starry, “LUCAS is an easy to use and lightweight device that provides quality chest compressions according to the American Heart Association guidelines for CPR.”

During a recent training exercise on the LUCAS device, Westminster EMS provider Josh Evans said, “LUCAS allows paramedics and firefighters to better facilitate the delivery of vital oxygen to the brain and priming the heart for a defibrillation shock in cardiac arrest situations.”

“Traditionally, chest compressions (CPR) was done manually by first responders at a rate of 100 compressions per minute,” According to Lieutenant Brett Pearce at the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No. 1. “Fatigue, poor positioning, and inadequate depth of the compression were all problems that needed to be overcome…”

“With the LUCAS, several scientific research studies have shown that patients who have a heart attack and need CPR have better outcomes when LUCAS is used,” according to Westminster EMS Captain Laura Tyler. “The rate, and depth that LUCAS offers means that patients have a better chance of surviving out of hospital cardiac arrest when used in conjunction with early defibrillation of the heart.”

“LUCAS also improves safety for EMS providers,” said Westminster assistant chief Jason Tyler. “The most dangerous time for EMT's and Paramedics is during the transport to the hospital. The need to provide lifesaving skills for the patient often means that personnel must work in difficult and dangerous positions without the use of seat belts. LUCAS allows for all to be properly seated and belted while in the back of a moving ambulance.”

“LUCAS offers emergency medical providers to deliver better care, personal safety during transport, and better lifesaving techniques to the citizens and visitors to Westminster,” said Westminster Volunteer Fire Department President Jim Bangerd.

Westminster Common Council member Tony Chiavacci, who sits on the council public safety committee said, “This is a great example of the Westminster and Carroll community coming together to fill a need…”

“The fire company would like to thank BGE, Westminster city government, and all the citizens who donated money to make this equipment possible. You never know, the life it may save might be a family member, a neighbor, or a coworker,” said Bangerd.

----- The men and women of the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 ----

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