Pepperell Man Saved With CPR Machine

PEPPERELL, MA — A Pepperell man was revived Saturday with the help of a chest compression machine, officials said. The 67-year-old man, who was found in cardiac arrest, was administered the LUCAS 3 chest compression machine. It was the first time Pepperell firefighters used the machine, officials said. The man was expected to make a full recovery.

(Sign up for free daily newsletters and breaking news alerts from Massachusetts Patch sites.)

The rescue happened on Hollis Street Saturday morning. Officers found the man in cardiac arrest at his home, with his son performing chest compressions. First responders administered a defibrillator and the LUCAS machine, which performs automated compressions. First responders can become fatigued while doing compressions, officials said. The town recently purchased the machine with a Nashoba Valley Health Fund grant from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation.

“This is the first time we used our new Lucas machine, and it performed above and beyond our expectations,” Pepperell emergency medical technician Melissa Schrader said in a statement. “The patient showed promising signs of recovery prior to leaving his home and was talking to the ambulance crew prior to arriving at the hospital.”

Photo: The LUCAS 3 chest compressor. (Credit: physio-control.com)