Riverton Fire Chief Joe Cooper demonstrates the LUCAS CPR machine.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
RIVERTON TOWNSHIP — Performing CPR on a patient who is experiencing cardiac arrest can be tiresome and inconsistent. To help alleviate this issue, the Mason County Rural Fire Authority found a solution by purchasing three devices, called LUCAS machines, that provide mechanical chest compressions.
The first LUCAS 3 Chest Compression Machine (Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System) was purchased through the fundraising efforts of Grant Township Fire Department Assistant Chief Al Bufka Sr. In 2022, Bufka raised over $24,000 from individuals, area businesses and governmental agencies to purchase the first LUCAS for Grant Township Fire Department.
Seeing its effectiveness, the Mason County Rural Fire Authority Board of Directors budgeted $50,000 in 2023 to purchase two more units. Those units were assigned to Custer Fire Department and Riverton Fire Department. They are utilized throughout the county, however.
“Anyone who has done CPR on another person is fully aware how physically taxing it is on the responders body,” said Dale Goodrich, administrator of the MCRFA. The LUCAS provides continuous high quality CPR. Giving the patient the best chance for survival. The Lucas is light weight, portable, and simple to use. If you have a CPR card with minimal training you can operate a LUCAS. This is especially important during the day shift when numbers of responders are lower and our more senior members respond.”
The Mason County Rural Fire Authority is an entity funded through a millage by the City of Scottville, the villages of Custer, Fountain, and Free Soil, and the townships of Amber, Branch, Custer, Eden, Free Soil, Grant, Meade, Riverton, Sheridan, Sherman, Summit and Victory. It consists of seven fire departments or stations: Branch, Custer, Fountain Area, Free Soil/Meade, Grant, Riverton, and Scottville.
The fire authority is governed by a five-person board appointed by the 16 elected boards of each municipality. Four of those board members represent geographical areas while one serves at-large.
The firefighters and medical first responders who make up the fire authority are paid-per-call “volunteers” who have other jobs and respond when paged out.
In Mason County, there are two ambulance stations, one in Pere Marquette Township and one in Scottville. Responding to rural areas can take 10 to 30 minutes when life-saving efforts need to take place within minutes. Since the late 1970s, Mason County’s fire departments have provided medical first responders with the concept of neighbors helping neighbors and arriving first on scene to begin basic medical first aid.
“These LUCAS devices have really changed the effectiveness we have on responding to cardiac arrests,” said Joe Cooper, Riverton Fire Department fire chief. “Combined with the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator), we are able to increase the survival rates of patients.”
Goodrich said the devices have been used about 20 times since they were implemented with three lives saved at the time of the emergency response. Goodrich added that Life EMS ambulance will now request a department with a LUCAS device respond in addition to the fire department that is closest to the patient.
While the machines were expensive to purchase, Goodrich said he believes the price justifies the outcome.
“Saving just one life is worth the price of the machine,” Goodrich said. “It’s another reason why the fire authority is asking the taxpayers to consider increasing our millage later this summer.”
Since its formation in 1996, the Mason County Rural Fire Authority has operated with 1 mill. One mill is equal to 1/1,000 of a dollar.; for every $1,000 in taxable value, a property owner pays $1 in property tax. Taxable value represents 50% of a property’s market value as of Dec. 31 of the previous year. Nine years ago, the authority requested an additional .5 mill to help pay for replacement vehicles.
Increased expenses and aging buildings have caused the fire authority to re-evaluate its needs. On Aug. 5, the Mason County Fire Authority is asking voters to approve 2 mills to replace the current separate mills that total 1.5.
For more information on the Mason County Rural Fire Authority, visit its website mcrfireauthority.com.
In addition to the Mason County Rural Fire Authority, Ludington Fire Department also utilizes a LUCAS machine areas covering the City of Ludington, Pere Marquette Township, Hamlin Township, and parts of Victory and Amber townships.
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