Con Fire deploys automated CPR chest compression device district-wide

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) has announced deployment of 30 new LUCAS Chest Compression Systems designed to provide consistent, high quality and uninterrupted hands-free chest compressions to cardiac event victims at incident scenes and while being transported to hospitals.

Terence Carey, assistant chief, EMS, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, said the devices are part of the district’s “continual emphasis on improving response times with our ambulance transport program.” The district also is working toward a goal of teaching Hands-only CPR to 10,000 area high school students as part of a Con Fire initiative to improve survivability of cardiac events across the County.

An additional anticipated benefit of the devices is the potential for reduction in injuries to first responders while administering CPR.

The total contract amount for the 30 LUCAS devices, including a spare unit and other accessories, was just over $600,000. The District already owned five additional devices, which will continue to be used in some operational settings as well as for training.

Con Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to more than a million people across its 304 square-mile District area, and through mutual aid, in and around the 20 cities and unincorporated communities of Contra Costa County, California.