Washington County is submitting a grant request for five new CPR devices totaling $75,000 to assist emergency medical personnel in ambulances.

At Tuesday’s Washington County Board of Supervisors meeting Chairman Richard Young, who is also the director of the ambulance service, explained the Lucas Assist Devices are attached to the ambulance cots and they apply chest compressions to the patient autonomously. These are funded by the Leona and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and have been made available to counties across Iowa. Each device costs about $15,000. The supervisors approved submitting the grant, which is due by September 19th. The devices must be place with transport services, so they’ll go to Wellman and Washington ambulances.