MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP – The Enon and Mad River Township Fire and EMS Department now has a life-saving chest compression device at their disposal, thanks to the generosity of a local company, community organization, the township fire association and two individuals.
Fire and EMS Chief Tracy Young expressed his gratitude during the Aug. 17 township meeting to Seepex Inc., Enon Community Historical Society, Enon and Mad River Township Fire Association, Township Trustee President Joe Catanzaro and township resident Robert Swinehart for their monetary donations towards the purchase of the $12,000 Lucas Chest Compression System.
The fire and EMS chief also presented a certificate of appreciation for their generous donations to Catanzaro; Swinehart; Ginger Brooks, Human Resource Manager for Seepex Inc.; Tim DeVore, President of the Enon Community Historical Society and Jeremy Leist, President of the Enon and Mad River Township Fire and EMS Association.
“I am very honored and humbled about their donations,” Young said. “It’s a wonderful feeling knowing how much support our organization has from the public. These donators did a wonderful thing, and it better prepares our organization and enhances our mission.”
Seepex Inc. presented a $3,000 donation to the fire and EMS department in June, and Swinehart gave a $5,000 donation to the department in July. Both Catanzaro and the Enon Community Historical Society donated $1,000 each toward the purchase of the device and the Enon and Mad River Township Fire Association contributed $2,000. During the presentation ceremony, Young announced that Swinehart had donated an additional $1,000, which the township resident noted were his winnings from a recent bingo game.
“We are going to use the additional $1,000 Mr. Swinehart donated to the department to start the collection for the second Lucas Chest Compression System,” Young said. “Also, I was advised by Tim Devour that the proceeds from the Enon Community Historical Society’s Valentine’s Day dance will be given to the fire and EMS department for the purpose of purchasing another Lucas device. We hope to raise the necessary funds by next spring to purchase the second device, which will cost around $13,000.”
Young stated that the $1,000 donation that former township resident Calvin Hahn pledged in July would also be used toward the purchase of the second Lucas device.
Following the presentation ceremony, Young and fire fighter and EMT Michael Newkirk demonstrated the new state-of-the-art Lucas Chest Compression System on a rescue mannequin and noted that the device would provide high-quality, uninterrupted compressions, allowing paramedics and EMTs to focus on other life-saving tasks.
“The Lucas Device is designed to help improve outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest victims and improve operations for medical responders,” Young said. “Performing at least 100 compressions per minute with a depth of 2 inches, the device can be deployed quickly with minimal interruption to patient care.”
However, he pointed out that patients’ chests must be at least 7 inches thick, meaning the machine cannot be used on children. Patients must also be small enough to fit within the backboard and the automatic arm.
According to Young, the fire and EMS department is still working on a protocol for deploying the device.
“Most likely it will be placed on our battalion officer vehicle. This will ensure a quick and rapid response for the device. Since we only have one, we need to ensure its availability even when our medic units have transported patients to the medical centers,” Young said. “When the second device is purchased we can place each of the devices on the medic units. For now, if a medic crew encounters an emergency situation in which the Lucas device is needed, the crew will default back to manual CPR and adherence to the Greater Miami Valley EMS Protocols until the Lucas device can be delivered to the scene.”
To help fund this effort, mail donations that are payable to Mad River Township, 260 E. Main St., Enon OH 45423. For more information, contact Young at 937-308-7557.
