New CPR machines are saving lives in Streator

When Streator firefighters and Advanced Medical Transport EMTs respond to a call in which a patient’s heart has stopped beating, they are not only using a CPR machine to revive the individual but also a machine to limit the damage after recovery.

“That’s how far the technology has advanced,” said Josh Bradshaw, community resource manager at AMT. “We’re not only trying to save you, but we want you to walk out of the hospital too.”

The machine utilized to resuscitate a cardiac arrest patient’s heart is called a LUCAS. It provides automatic chest compression and decompression CPR.

In the 20 times the LUCAS was used last year in Streator, it revived five patients.

“The national average is 8% survival rate, Streator’s was 25%,” Bradshaw said. “That means you are three times more likely to survive a cardiac arrest in Streator than the national average.”

Each Streator ambulance is equipped with a LUCAS machine and Streator firefighters, who also respond to medical calls, have two of their own.

Now, whenever the LUCAS machine is put into use EMTs and firefighters utilize an EleGARD device. This machine places a patient into an optimal position by elevating their head and thorax during CPR. This reduces pressure on the patient’s head and increases their chances of neurological recovery.

Streator AMT donated an EleGARD device April 1 to the Streator Fire Department. All of Streator’s ambulances have one onboard, Bradshaw said.

“The EleGARD elevates over two minutes, it’s the optimal time we’ve found for that blood flow,” said Jacquelin Coons, of Streator AMT. “If it raises too fast, then you lose too much blood. Too slow is not beneficial either.”

Bradshaw said Streator’s ambulance service and firefighters train together to coordinate efforts when they respond to a call.

“It’s like a pit crew,” he said. “Everyone knows what to do. If you were to go to a cardiac arrest call 10 years ago, it would be much more chaotic. Now there’s a plan in place.”

The advantages of having an automatic device performing CPR is that it doesn’t get exhausted, like a human would, and it remains consistent. It also frees up personnel to push a medication to the patient through an IV and to keep time when medications and procedures are put in place.

“The timekeeper is integral, because when you are resuscitating someone, you lose track of time, and crucial time can get away,” Coons said.

Bradshaw said sudden cardiac arrest is the No. 1 killer of adults in the United States. AMT launched its “Race to the Top” initiative in 2014 to invest in devices to help improve the outcomes for patients.

In total, AMT donated 16 of the $7,400 devices to the Peoria, Pekin and Streator fire departments. The ambulance service also has led training sessions with Streator firefighters annually to update their techniques.

“This is truly a collaboration between the Streator Fire Department and AMT,” said Fire Chief Gary Bird.

“We’re very fortunate to have this partnership,” Bradshaw added. “It’s been a very good thing for the community of Streator.”