Roseville Fire to purchase two LUCAS devices with grant money from Straker Foundation

Steph West
·2 min read

ROSEVILLE − The Roseville Volunteer Fire Department will receive a $41,000 grant from the Straker Foundation to purchase lifesaving chest compression equipment called a LUCAS device.

“(The LUCAS device) frees up the EMT's hands so they’re able to provide other lifesaving skills like starting IVs, getting the AED started, or if there’s only two EMTs, one can drive while the other is providing care,” said Lt. Zach Keylor, who was notified earlier this month that they will receive enough money to purchase two of these devices, one for each of the department’s ambulances. “It gives (the patient) a better chance of survival.”

According to Lucas-cpr.com, the LUCAS device provides intervention at two key points of critical care by EMTs: It improves the quality and consistency of chest compressions and prevents fatigue in EMS caregivers. It also provides safer chest compressions during transport, which can have erratic movement and be dangerous at high speeds and difficult road conditions.

Keylor agrees that the LUCAS device is important, particularly for more rural areas like Roseville.

“This is huge for us,” he said. “Especially since it can take at least 20 minutes to get to a hospital. That’s a long time to be performing chest compressions and it can cause significant fatigue that weakens the EMS provider and makes the chest compressions less effective.”

By having the LUCAS device, Roseville EMS can provide consistent, perfectly executed compressions for longer periods of time during transport, ultimately giving patients a better chance for survival.

The LUCAS device provides consistent and accurate chest compressions which helps to increase patient survival rates.
The LUCAS device provides consistent and accurate chest compressions which helps to increase patient survival rates.

“Human error is always a factor in everything we do,” he said. “It’s not going to be exact. This device helps remove that.”

Roseville Fire consists of 25 volunteers of which 10 are cross-trained on fire and EMS and the remaining members are either strictly fire or EMS. In 2023, they had 579 calls for service, 147 more than in 2022. Of those, 141 were transports, with 68 requiring advanced life support care, including CPR, head trauma, strokes, heart attacks, and the like.

Grants like this are huge for volunteer fire departments and help keep them stocked with the latest equipment. Keylor should know — he writes them.

“I write anywhere from 10 to 15 grants every year,” he said. “All of the grants are equipment based or fire gear based. Fire gear wears out quickly and has to be replaced frequently.”

This year alone, in addition to the Straker grant, Keylor has also secured an ODNR forestry grant for the fire unit and a $3,000 grant from Guernsey Muskingum Electric Cooperative for Windows based tablets that are compatible with dispatch systems in Perry and Muskingum counties.

“Having grants like these, to be able to purchase these devices, increases our ability to give the community even better treatment.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Grant allows Roseville Fire to purchase new equipment