Cochran Hose Co. showcases latest lifesaving equipment

Cochran Hose Company recently acquired a lifesaving device to bolster its medical service capabilities.

The Sewickley volunteer fire company has about a dozen specially trained firefighters capable of using LUCAS, a mechanical chest-compression system.

The device has been with the department for a few months and was on display as part of an open house during the Sewickley Harvest Festival Sept. 7.

Capt. Andrew Scalercio and Valley Ambulance Authority prehospital registered nurse Caron Baker were showing attendees its use.

“We would use this with a patient that is in cardiac arrest, which means they are not breathing and do not have a pulse,” Scalercio said. “It frees up hands. It can reduce injury in providers that are having to do CPR continuously.”

It fits around a patient and performs compressions with a mechanical arm at the proper rate and force.

“It’s nice consistent CPR rather than us getting tired,” Baker said. “Our CPR might not be that great, where this is battery-operated. It’s good, continuous CPR.”

Scalercio, who also serves as a paramedic for VAA, trained others at Cochran Hose on how to use LUCAS.

He explained not every fire department can use such devices.

“We are a QRS agency, a quick-response service, which is medically-trained providers that will respond along with the ambulance to calls to assist,” Scalercio said.

“We can provide basic care and we only respond to the high medical calls, which is another reason why we have this. We know if someone is not breathing, we’re going to that call. Valley Ambulance, they have a large footprint. The chances of having two of those emergencies at the same time are pretty significant, which is why we pushed to get one. If theirs is busy, we have ours to cover our area.”

VAA is headquartered in Coraopolis. It serves that borough as well as Sewickley, Neville Island, Sewickley Hills, Aleppo, Moon, Crescent Township, Bell Acres, Sewickley Heights, Edgeworth, Leet, Leetsdale, Glenfield, Haysville, Glen Osborne and parts of the Pittsburgh International Airport.

Valley Ambulance Authority deputy chief Ashley McGowan said her department responded to 118 cardiac arrests last year, including 17 in Sewickley.

Cochran Hose’s machine has been used twice so far this year.

“I think it’s fantastic (they have a LUCAS),” McGowan said. “We work hand-in-hand. It’s not a competition or anything like that. Whoever is there first with it is great. If you have a resident here in Sewickley and are able to get the LUCAS on them faster, that’s wonderful.

“You never know where the ambulance may be coming from. If you’re sitting on traffic on the other side of the bridge, it’s hard to move people sometimes. Having Cochran Hose being trained to utilize it and utilizing it appropriately is fabulous. Even if it saves one person, you’re still doing a great job.”

LUCAS machines range between $20,000 to $25,000.

Fire chief Shayne Quinn said his department’s device, as well as a couple other pieces of rescue equipment, were made possible through a donation by an Edgeworth resident who wished to remain anonymous.