The Hockey Through the Ages committee donated $10,000 to the Fort Macleod Fire Department toward the purchase of an AutoPulse automated CPR machine.
Thanks to an assist from organizers of a charity hockey tournament the Fort Macleod Fire Department has a new piece of life-saving equipment.
The Hockey Through the Ages committee donated $10,000 to the firefighters toward the purchase of a $28,000 automated CPR machine.
“It’s taking over personal CPR,” explained Capt. Dan Neels of the fire department.
The AutoPulse device is an automated, portable and battery‑powered chest machine that provides chest compressions.
The AutoPulse is composed of a constricting band and half backboard.
The firefighters gave a demonstration of the AutoPulse to members of the Hockey Through the Ages committee earlier this month at the fire hall.
Neels explained the first responders will always start with manual CPR when they arrive on scene.
All the Fort Macleod firefighters have been trained on the AutoPulse.
The fire department will demonstrate the machine for Alberta Health Services EMS in town, as well as staff in the emergency room at Fort Macleod Health Centre.
“It is at their disposal at any time but it will be operated by a firefighter,” Neels said.
The AutoPulse has an adjustable strap that covers the patient’s entire rib cage.
Using a training dummy, the firefighters demonstrated that when the patient is strapped in and the start button is pressed, the band pulls tight around the chest, determines the patient’s chest size and resistance, and proceeds to rhythmically constrict the entire rib cage, pumping the heart at a rate of 80 compressions per minute.
Neels said the AutoPulse relieves first responders of the physically demanding job of doing CPR.
“Studies show that anything over two minutes of CPR you lose quality, you’re getting tired,” Neels said. “Probably one of the hardest jobs you’ll ever do is CPR. It takes a lot of energy.”
The AutoPulse has also shown to improve the patient’s chances of survival outside of the intensive care unit by up to 40 per cent.
That’s because the AutoPulse pumps blood to the kidneys and brain quicker than manual CPR.
“You keep those two alive, usually the heart stays alive too,” Neels said.
The AutoPulse has a battery life of about 40 minutes, and the fire department has three batteries.
That allows the first responders to provide about two hours of CPR, which is considered the maximum time for that life-saving effort.
“Hopefully, we never have to use it,” Fire Chief Allen Zoeteman said.
