Westland, MI -The Wayne-Westland Fire Department will now be equipped with a new life-saving technology to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) with the recent purchase of a ZOLL Autopulse Non-invasive Cardiac Support Pump (Autopulse).  

The Autopulse is designed with a lifeband, which fits around the chest of a patient who has gone into SCA, applying mechanical CPR to the patient. The Autopulse first measures the chest in order to apply perfect force and pressure to each individual, based on the American Heart Association guidelines. It then performs consistent compressions. This consistency has been attributed to saving numerous lives of SCA victims.

"Our goal is to protect the lives of Wayne and Westland citizens, and this purchase is an important step in helping to achieve that goal," said Fire Chief Michael Reddy. "I have been a professional first responder for more than 21 years, and I have never seen a device that does what the Autopulse does."

With consistent compressions, the Autopulse increases blood flow by moving more blood, consistently increasing the chances of survival. The manual CPR also allows rescuers to perform other lifesaving tasks on patients and helps improve rescuer safety, as they don't have to stand up and perform CPR in the back of a moving ambulance.

"Once a person is in cardiac arrest, every minute counts to get the heart beating normally again," said Chief Reddy. "For every minute that passes the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent. After 10 minutes, survival is unlikely. With the Autopulse we are better prepared to deal with cardiac arrest."

SCA is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing one American every two minutes. It is estimated that 95 percent of victims of SCA die before they reach a hospital or other source of emergency response center. SCA-related deaths are not for lack of trying on responders' parts; however, manual chest compressions often come up short, with pauses in compression being detrimental to the patient.

The Autopulse has been on the market for five years, and is used consistently in life-saving events throughout the U.S. and around the world.

"The purchase of the Autopulse was a no-brainer for the City. It improves CPR techniques to aid our Fire Fighters in saving the lives of residents and it improves safety for our rescuers. It is a win-win," said Mayor William Wild.  

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

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