Machines have better success rate than manual method

Lawrence County EMS has a new tool to help save lives.

The agency was recently loaned three Zoll AutoPulse machines for use on trucks at the Ironton, South Point and Chesapeake stations.

“It’s a mechanical CPR device,” Dan Heuchert, training director and operations assistant for EMS, said. “It’s supposed to help with the output of blood to the brain, heart and vital organs, more than manual CPR.”

Heuchert said the success rate of getting a pulse with the machine is about 43 percent, compared to 15-20 percent for manual CPR.

He said Zoll had loaned the devices to EMS on a trial basis for the time-being.

“We’ll see if we get any improvement,” he said.

He said the three devices arrived at EMS stations on Sept. 26 and all are currently in use on trucks.