By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — The town of Georgetown is checking in with financial support to ensure both Georgetown Emergency Medical Services ambulances are armed with potentially lifesaving chest-compression equipment.

On Wednesday at Station 93, based at American Legion Post 8, Mayor Bill West, accompanied by council members Penuel Barrett and Rebecca Johnson-Dennis, presented a $16,190 check to Lisa Fensick, the station’s administrator, for the purchase of a second LUCAS 3 device.

“When you are running two ambulances in this community — and the times have increased where there is more ambulance calls than there has ever been before — there is only one of these devices on one ambulance,” said Mayor West. “It was time to step up to the plate and make sure the second ambulance had a device capable of saving a life in the 19947 (ZIP code) community. It’s not just in Georgetown. They service all of 19947.”

In 2020, Station 93 had 21 CPR events in its district. Thus far in 2021, the ambulance service has had six CPRs, Ms. Fensick said.

“There are also calls you go to that are upgraded to CPR once you are on the scene,” said Ms. Fensick. “We only have one LUCAS device, on our first-run ambulance. So if the first-run ambulance was out on another call, then (the second ambulance) had to do manual CPR. This piece of equipment was much needed for the second-run ambulance. Both of our ambulances that are on the street will have a LUCAS device.”

The LUCAS 3 Chest Compression System is a machine that delivers automatic chest compression with minimal risk of interruptions during patient transport.
“What it does is it performs compressions on the patient during a cardiac arrest,” said Ms. Fensick. “It frees our hands so that we can do other things, other interventions with the patient. It is a lifesaving device, and we are very happy to have our second unit.”

Additionally, the LUCAS device is Bluetooth-compatible with other devices and monitors. Upon arrival at the hospital, information — such as the number of compressions and their duration and deepness — can be downloaded to technology utilized by hospital staff.

Staffed round the clock by nationally registered emergency medical technicians and responders, Station 93 on average runs 2,000-plus emergency calls per year.

Mayor West called on residents of Georgetown and the surrounding 19947 ZIP code to consider supporting Station 93, a subsidiary of American Legion Post 8, based on North Front Street.

“The ambulance works on donations. They usually send out a flyer asking (for) donations,” Mayor West said. “If we don’t have the donations, the service gets shut down and gets down to a minimum. Please, if you get the opportunity and you live in 19947, contact the ambulance garage. They’ll send you a donation slip. Give them a donation, so they can help with your family in times of an emergency.”