LANCASTER, NY — August 6 — Members of the Town Line Volunteer Fire Department took part in a research study conducted by the University at Buffalo, which focused on how well CPR is performed during situations where a firefighter is down.

The study looked at the quality of chest compressions as firefighters worked under conditions that mimicked different levels of protective equipment.

Participants carried out two minutes of CPR on a training mannequin while wearing full turnout gear, full turnout gear with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and without turnout gear.

The research centered on the 10-step NIOSH Firefighter Down method and how well rescuers could perform CPR while handling a downed firefighter.

The findings may help researchers assess current practices and find ways to enhance firefighter-down CPR procedures.

For firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, the exercise offered a controlled environment to assess how protective clothing and SCBA impacted access, positioning, and compression effectiveness during resuscitation efforts.

The department recognized interior firefighter, paramedic, and medical student Caitlin Delaney for involving its members in the research project. Town Line Volunteer Fire Department is based at 6507 Broadway St., Lancaster, NY 14086.