Greenport Fire Department Demonstrates New CPR Machines at Peconic Landing

GREENPORT, NY — When a person goes into cardiac arrest, every minute can mean the difference between life and death.

And today, the Greenport Fire Department unveiled new automatic CPR machines during a demonstration at the Peconic Landing Community Center.

Volunteers from the Greenport Fire Department showed the group gathered two automatic CPR compression machines newly acquired by the department.

The LUCAS brand machines will allow first responders and paramedics to provide effective and uninterrupted chest compressions on sudden cardiac arrest patients.

The machines bring an added level of safety for individuals who live on the North Fork, since it can be 30 minutes or more to the nearest major medical center, a release from Peconic Landing said.

Joined by certified EMTs from Peconic Landing, the first responders demonstrated firsthand how the devices can help to save a life.

With the automated CPR machine, rescuers are free to focus on other critical life-saving tasks, such as ventilation, medication and defibrillation, which leads to an increased focus on cardiac arrest management.

The machines cost $20,000 each and donations from the John May Mile, an intergenerational fundraiser at Peconic Landing, was used to help purchase the equipment.

At the event, Darryl Volinski, director of environmental services, introduced Chief Wayne Miller before a description and demonstration.

EMTs doing compressions normally switch as one gets tired; if there are not enough EMTs on scene, that's when a CPR machine can be a literal lifesaver, providing effective and steady CPR for a long period of time, those performing the demonstration said.

A person in cardiac arrest can withstand four to six minutes of no circulation before reversal so the faster the victim can be treated, the better, with the CPR machines a critical tool. The new machines have already been used in Greenport, demonstrators said.