Lombard ambulances to be equipped with new CPR device

Advanced life support ambulances in Lombard will soon be equipped with a device that provides uninterrupted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, officials said.

Lombard Fire Department announced this week that the Zoll AutoPulse resuscitation systems were purchased through a joint agreement between the village and the foreign fire insurance board.

The Lombard village board approved the purchase on Aug. 19.

The AutoPulse measures a patient's chest, and then a band squeezes around the chest and provides uninterrupted CPR, officials said. The device improves blood flow to the heart and brain while allowing first responders to concentrate on other life-saving measures.