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Firefighters tell lawmakers mechanical CPR devices boost survival, request rural funding
Summary
Presenters for Nevada professional firefighters told the Joint Interim Standing Committee on March 31 that mechanical chest‑compression devices (Lucas) raised return‑of‑spontaneous‑circulation (ROSC) and responder safety in Clark County and urged state or targeted grant funding to equip rural departments, noting devices cost about $7,000–$12,000 and require recurring training.
The professional firefighters of Nevada urged the legislature to consider targeted funding for mechanical CPR machines that they say have improved cardiac arrest outcomes and protected responders.
Ryan Beeman, representing the Professional Firefighters of Nevada, and Rebecca Carmody, an EMS training officer, told the Health and Human Services committee that the Lucas mechanical chest‑compression device has reduced variability in CPR quality and lessened physical strain on crews. Carmody said rural agencies—often staffed with two to three responders and facing transport times of 45 minutes to 90 minutes—are especially likely to benefit because the device can provide uninterrupted compressions where manual CPR is impractical.
“Performing CPR in a moving ambulance is one of the high‑risk activities for EMS personnel,” Carmody said, adding that mechanical devices let responders remain seated and lower the risk of injury. Beeman and Carmody said Clark County’s deployment of devices coincided with increased ROSC and with survivability on the Las Vegas Strip corridor that, by 2024 data, ranged from roughly 50% to 70% in the corridor—far higher than national averages. Beeman noted Clark County’s experience as evidence of the devices’ practical benefits and said statewide rollout would require grant or state support.
Why it matters: Mechanical devices can reduce responder injuries and provide standardized compressions during long transports, which advocates say could narrow rural‑urban survival gaps for out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest. The presenters asked lawmakers to consider dedicated state grant money or to direct rural‑health transformation funds toward device procurement and training.
Committee members pressed for details. Assemblywoman Hibbetts asked about per‑unit price; Carmody said devices generally range “anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000 per device depending on the manufacturer.” Senator Titus asked whether departments had pursued Rural Healthcare Transformation funding; Beeman said many rural agencies had not yet applied and that Clark County had purchased most of its devices locally but that the union was asking on behalf of agencies statewide.
Training and implementation: Carmody said manufacturers commonly include initial on‑site training in purchase packages and that agencies require annual recertification. Committee members asked whether funding requests would include both equipment and recurring training costs. Presenters said yes and asked for help identifying which state or grant streams could support both capital and ongoing proficiency training.
The committee took no formal action at the hearing; presenters left committee members with requested follow‑up on available funding options and county‑level needs assessments.
