Central Minnesota Sheriff’s Department Receives High Tech CPR Device from the University of Minnesota Center for Resuscitation Medicine

(KNSI) — Picture this: A deputy responds to a cardiac arrest call in rural Morrison County. The ambulance is 15 minutes away. Instead of doing exhausting chest compressions until help arrives, the deputy can now attach a machine that does the work for them.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota are giving high-tech CPR machines called a LUCAS Device to sheriff’s offices across Minnesota to see if it saves more lives. Morrison County and 49 other agencies just got theirs with the simple idea to let a machine handle the chest compressions so deputies can focus on getting the person to a hospital.

“In emergency situations, every second counts, and the LUCAS device allows first responders to focus on other critical interventions while ensuring that effective chest compressions are continuously administered,” said Demetris Yannopoulos, MD, director of the Center for
Resuscitation Medicine. “As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our communities, the integration of such innovative technologies will undoubtedly play a vital role in saving lives and enhancing the overall effectiveness of emergency medical services in Minnesota.”

Over the next year, the Center for Resuscitation Medicine will be examining how agencies use the devices to determine feasibility and the overall benefit to patient outcomes. The initiative is funded as part of an $18 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to provide life-saving devices statewide to law enforcement agencies and first responders.

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