SABATTUS — It’s a troubling scenario.

When firefighters come across a patient in cardiac arrest, they require at least six people to perform the most effective resuscitation effort.

But the Sabattus Fire Department is a small one, and there are seldom that many firefighters responding to a single scene. What’s to be done?

Behold the LUCAS 3 chest compression system, a cutting-edge piece of life-saving equipment purchased with the help of a $16,500 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.

Sabattus Fire Chief Troy Cailler said the LUCAS 3 benefits the safety of the community right out of the box.

With the new device in play, he said, “the Sabattus Fire Department will be able to enhance the livelihood of all community members and visitors to our town. We will now be able to successfully attend to a cardiac arrest with a limited amount of staffing — without sacrificing patient care.”

“The LUCAS device extends the reach of care by maintaining chest compressions during transport to advanced life saving therapies,” according to Stryker, the company that makes the device. “It can improve provider safety, avoiding fatigue over long durations and reducing transport risks by allowing caregivers to sit belted. And it can increase the efficiency of caregiving teams, calming the scene and providing an extra pair of hands so you can focus on the patient and underlying conditions.”

The gadget was paid for in an interesting way.

Buck Sheffield Jr. is the owner and operator of the Firehouse Subs restaurant in Auburn. Purchases made in Firehouse Subs restaurants across the country — including the Auburn one — provide funding for these grants.

“Giving back to our local community is at the heart of everything we do, including right here in Androscoggin County,” Sheffield said. “We are grateful to our local Firehouse Subs guests who make these grants possible — and of course to our local first responder heroes for everything they do to keep us safe each day.”

When the LUCAS 3 was presented last week, the event was well attended. Along with Cailler and Sheffield, Assistant Chief Robert Gayton III, Sabattus Town Manager Tim Kane and Sabattus Police Chief Erik Baker were on hand, along with Firehouse Subs District Manager Jeannie Wolkens.

See a video of the LUCAS 3 in action at strykeremergencycare.com.

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