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Beaufort County EMS adds 10 Lucas mechanical CPR devices to ambulances
Summary
An EMS representative described the purchase and deployment of 10 Lucas mechanical chest‑compression devices to maintain continuous CPR during transport and reduce rescuer fatigue; the county credited Director Donna Owenby for leading procurement efforts.
An EMS presenter reported that Beaufort County has purchased 10 Lucas mechanical chest‑compression devices and demonstrated how the device works, explaining it maintains a recommended compression rate and full chest recoil during CPR.
The presenter said manual compressions become inconsistent after about two minutes and that the Lucas device can sustain compressions during transport or when stairs or narrow hallways would otherwise force pauses. The device’s suction cup both seats the device and assists recoil to maintain cardiac filling, the presenter said, and noted the American Heart Association recommends a compression rate of about 100 per minute with a depth of about two inches for adult cardiac arrest patients.
The presenter credited county director Donna Owenby with leading procurement and securing funds during budget processes and said more units were purchased after staff identified response‑time and fatigue risks. No policy change or deployment schedule beyond the equipment purchase was voted on during the meeting.
