U of M Center for Resuscitation Medicine donates life-saving device to Rice County Sheriff’s Office

The Center for Resuscitation Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School recently donated an automated CPR device — known as LUCAS — to the Rice County Sheriff’s Office as part of a new pilot project aimed at equipping law enforcement agencies across Minnesota with life-saving technology.

The device delivers uninterrupted, high-quality chest compressions. Manual compressions provided by first responders during extended wait times, often seen in rural areas like Rice County, can be physically exhausting and variable in effectiveness. The LUCAS device ensures continuous compressions to patients experiencing cardiac arrest to improve outcomes, reduce fatigue for first responders and allows them to tend to other duties while the patient receives needed CPR.

Initially, seven deputies will be trained to use the device, though all will receive training during their annual Emergency Medical Responder training.

“In an emergency, every second counts, and the LUCAS device allows first responders to focus on other critical interventions while ensuring that effective chest compressions are continuously administered,” said Demetris Yannopoulos, MD, director of the Center for Resuscitation Medicine. “As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our communities, the integration of such innovative technologies will undoubtedly play a vital role in saving lives and enhancing the overall effectiveness of emergency medical services in Minnesota.”

The Sheriff’s Office is one of 50 Minnesota agencies selected to receive a device.

According to Rice County Emergency Management Director Joe Johnson, data from the U and Minnesota ambulance services shows that 25% of the cases, deputies in rural counties are on scene more than 10 minutes before an ambulance arrives. Johnson, who worked for 20 years as a paramedic, says the LUCAS device is a game changer.

Over the next year, the Center for Resuscitation Medicine will examine how agencies use the devices to determine feasibility and the overall benefit to patient outcomes. The initiative is funded as part of an $18 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to provide life-saving devices statewide to law enforcement agencies and first responders.