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Syracuse First Responders Now Using Next Generation AutoPulse Next Generation AutoPulse

By Valentina Macellaro LaFranca

REPORTER, VALENTINA LAFRANCA – THE SYRACUSE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS USED THE AUTOPULSE DEVICE FOR OVER A DECADE.
KEVIN DELONG, A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, USES IT OFTEN.
KEVIN DELONG – “ON AVERAGE I PROBABLY USE IT ALMOST ONCE A SHIFT.”
LAFRANCA—BUT THE CREW HAS JUST RECEIVED TRAINING FOR THE NEW VERSION AND CAN NOW USE IT ON ALL CARDIAC ARREST CALLS.
THE NEXT-GENERATION AUTOPULSE RESUSCITATION SYSTEM HAS AN IMPROVED DESIGN.
ZOLL MEDICAL HAS COMBINED THE AUTOPULSE’S PROVEN CLINICAL PERFORMANCE WITH FEEDBACK FROM USERS TO ENHANCE IT.
SYRACUSE FIRE DISTRICT CHIEF MATT CRANER TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES.
MATT CRANER – WHEN WE’RE WORKING IN THE FIELD, WE TALK ABOUT MAKING THINGS AS EASY AS WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE THEM AND ITS NOT LIKE THIS ONE WAS HARD TO USE BUT THERE WAS A COUPLE OF MORE BUTTONS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SEQUENCE YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET IT STARTED. WITH THIS ONE, IT IS LIKE PRESSING A BUTTON, SETTING IT, AND FORGET IT.”
LAFRANCA – AUTOPULSE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE COMPRESSION INTERRUPTIONS DURING TRANSPORT BY MORE THAN 85%.
DELONG SPOKE ABOUT HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE SYSTEM.
DELONG – “I BECAME A PARAMEDIC BACK IN 2008. AND WE USED TO HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MANUALLY AND ONCE WE GOT THIS DEVICE WE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN GETTING RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION OR GETTING A PULSE BACK. “
LAFRANCA – SO, IN THE STRAPS OF THE NEXT AUTOPULSE, FEELING SAFE CAN BE A LITTLE EASIER.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The next generation of automated resuscitation devices is now available to first responders.

AutoPulse is an automated resuscitation device that provides high-quality CPR to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The new version is meant to provide both the patient and provider with greater ease.

The Syracuse Fire Department has been using the original AutoPulse device for 10 years, and just started using the updated version.

Firefighter Paramedic Kevin DeLong uses AutoPulse often.

“On average, I probably use it almost once a shift,” DeLong said.

The department has just received training for the new version and can now use it on all cardiac arrest calls.

The Next-Generation AutoPulse resuscitation system has an improved design. Zoll Medical, the company behind the device, enhanced it by combining its clinical performance with user feedback.

Syracuse Fire District Chief Matt Craner said there are differences between the two versions.

“When we’re working in the field, we talk about making things as easy as we can possibly make them. It’s not like this one was hard to use but there were a couple of more buttons, a little bit more of a sequence you had to go through to get it started,” Craner said. “With this one, it is like pressing a button, setting it, and forget it.”

DeLong said he has had good experiences with the system.

“I became a paramedic back in 2008 and we used to have to do everything manually. Once we got this device, we noticed a significant increase in getting a return of spontaneous circulation or getting a pulse back.” DeLong said.

Compared with manual CPR, AutoPulse has been shown to reduce compression interruptions during transport by more than 85%. And with the new updates, the department hopes the chances will only increase.

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