| Marion County Fire Rescue was awarded over $379,000 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which enabled the department to purchase 26 Lucas Chest Compression System devices.
Each Lucas device provides consistent high-quality chest compressions to cardiac arrest patients for extended periods of time. When seconds count, these automated and consistent compressions eliminate responder fatigue from extended manual compressions and result in greater blood flow to the heart and brain.
Manual CPR provides 30-40% blood flow to the brain while the Lucas device increases the blood flow rate to 60%. Use of the Lucas device also enables first responders to provide high-quality patient care by focusing on the underlying condition, allows efficient use of resources during transport, and increases first responder safety.
When combined with early bystander CPR and early defibrillation (also called public access AED), use of these devices result in an 2.4% increase in the patient regaining a pulse and/or heartbeat.
Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) first deployed the Lucas Chest Compression System devices on fire-based rescues on November 17, 2021. As of July 31, 2022, MCFR units transported 252 cardiac arrest patients, utilizing the Lucas device during 86 of these transports. First responders were able to regain a pulse and/or heartbeat during 67 of the 252 transports when the Lucas device was used. | 
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