Funding from a federal grant and a local foundation will allow the Los Angeles County Fire Department to become the largest public safety agency in the country to have mechanical CPR devices on every paramedic unit, officials announced.
The funding comes from a $1.5 million grant through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and $240,000 from the Los Angeles County Fire Foundation.
“The LACoFD plans to receive and deploy the CPR devices by mid- 2023,” the LACoFD reported. “These additional CPR devices will supplement existing resources.”
Emergency medical services calls are at an all-time high in the county, said LACoFD Medical Director Dr. Clayton Kazan.
“Currently, the LACoFD responds to more than 400,000 calls every year, of which more than 5,000 are cardiac arrest emergencies,” Kazan said in a statement.
“The grant-funded devices will provide high-quality, life-sustaining CPR for patients that are suffering cardiac arrest,” Kazan said. “With this advanced technology, CPR is mechanically regulated and uninterrupted for critical patients being transported to hospitals.”
In 2018, the LACoFD started the Arrive Alive pilot program with only four LUCAS Chest Compression Systems.
“Since then, with support from the Los Angeles County Fire Foundation and QPC, Arrive Alive has expanded to 27 devices,” the LACoFD said. “This grant will enable the department to deploy mechanical CPR devices to all of the remaining paramedic units across the communities we serve.”
–
Tim Scott says
Cool tech.
East Palmdale's Most Appreciates Paramedics says
One time we called the LAC paramedics, and they showed up in like 30 seconds. Amazing! We pay specific property taxes and fees for that, and it’s one of the few LAC services where we get our money’s worth.
Tim Scott says
Not to dox you out here, but the fact that the average person could walk from the fire station to your house in not much more than 30 seconds might affect that.
America's Most Pointless Pundit says
You got it, lol.