The Guam Fire Department is taking emergency response to the next level. Ten new high-tech chest compression devices are now deployed across the island — equipping firefighters with the power to save more lives when every second counts.

GFD has acquired ten state-of-the-art Stryker LUCAS chest compression systems — along with two dozen backup batteries — valued at over a hundred-fifty thousand dollars. Public information officer Capt. Nick Garrido said, "Each LUCAS machine is approximately $13,000 and each battery is a little over $500 per battery."

These mechanical devices perform automated, consistent chest compressions for patients in cardiac arrest, delivering precise, uninterrupted cpr — even during transport or extended rescue operations.

Fire Chief Daren Burrier says it’s a game-changer for first responders, telling KUAM News, "We do have some in operation, with our paramedic unit, and since we've had them in operation over the past couple of years that we have seen significant increase in what we call ROSS which is return of spontaneous circulation, to where we've seen elevated levels of being able to bring people back from cardiac arrest and have a better chance at recovering in the hospital and then returning to their loved ones. so it becomes a very valuable tool for us to save lives out there."

The new equipment was made possible through funding support from Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio — who say investing in firefighters means investing in the people of Guam. The addition of the LUCAS systems marks a major step in modernizing GFD's emergency medical response — strengthening the island’s ability to deliver high-quality care when it matters most.

Captain Wayne Matanane shared, "We turn it on, we attach it to the patient, and its as simple as pressing play. it will give consistent and effective compressions for as long as the batteries are charged and it allows us to do live saving intervention like drugs and things like that."

The Guam Fire Department thanks the administration and partners for helping advance its lifesaving mission — one heartbeat at a time.