The Kalona First Responders will soon be a step ahead in saving lives in emergencies.

The first responders received a $7,500 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation to purchase a chest compression system. First Responders President Aaron Gingerich describes the device, “It’s called a Lucas device, what that does is help us give better chest compressions to someone that is not breathing and does not have a heartbeat. When we get called to an emergency incident to where there is someone that is not breathing and their heart is not beating, we can put this on and it will give chest compressions. We currently do it by hand now and we take turns depending on how many responders are there, sometimes there is only a couple of us in town or on the scene that can help. As a person gets fatigued doing that, the compressions are not strong enough or adequate enough to help pump that heart. And so this is done by machine and will continue to do that at the rate that it’s supposed to be and the depth that it is supposed to be when we’re doing CPR for someone.”

While using this machine Gingerich says the responders can focus on doing other things for the patient. Gingerich says this device will also be crucial when an ambulance at times takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach them and the patient. Gingerich says they have approximately half of the funds to purchase the Lucas device and are seeking donor funds.