Belmond Ambulance Service Receives $25,000 Grant from the Jacobson Fund

The Ambulance Service of Belmond, IA, recently received funds through a grant provided by the Richard O. Jacobson Fund for Belmond. These funds made possible the purchase of three LUCAS (Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System) devices by Stryker, one for each of the Belmond EMS's three transfer rigs.

In 2025, Belmond EMS transferred 383 patients from the Belmond and Clarion hospitals to other facilities for a higher level of care than available locally. During these transfers, there are typically only two crew members on hand.  Now, if a patient experiences a cardiac arrest during transport, the LUCAS device can assist as a third set of hands. This battery-operated device works by encircling the patient’s chest in the vicinity of the heart with a soft, pliable plunger contacting the center of the chest. It then delivers chest compressions at an appropriate depth and rate for the best possible patient outcome. The device never tires, and it frees up the EMS staff to perform other life-saving interventions for the patient. In doing so, the LUCAS device can make the difference between life and death for the patient. 

The Belmond EMS thanks the Richard O. Jacobson Fund for Belmond for their generosity and support in providing tools like the LUCAS device to enable delivery of the best patient care possible.