Arlington Fire Department

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Arlington Fire Department
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Objectives

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest
• Automated External Defibrillator
• The Impacts of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
• The Chain of Survival

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What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs when the heart stops
  beating abruptly.
• The victim is unconscious and has no pulse.
• The victim will not be breathing or may appear to
  be gasping for air.
• The most common cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest is
  an abnormal lethal heart rhythm called
  Ventricular Fibrillation.

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What is the Solution?
The ONLY known solution for Ventricular
Fibrillation is . . .
EARLY DEFIBRILLATION BY ELECTRICAL SHOCK
For every minute that a victim remains in
Ventricular Fibrillation, survivability is
reduced by 10 percent.
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What are AEDs?

• Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) which
  allow trained rescuers and individuals to
  successfully deliver defibrillation prior to the
  arrival of EMS personnel.
• AEDs interpret the heart rhythm, determine if
  shock is required, and if necessary, will prompt
  the rescuer to deliver a shock.
• AEDs are a safe, effective, easy to use, and
  require limited maintenance.

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How Does an AED Work?

• An AED will only defibrillate when it recognizes
  a lethal rhythm.
• All AEDs use embedded computer chips to analyze
  heart rhythms instantly and accurately.

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Where Do Most Sudden Cardiac Arrests Occur?
AT HOME

• Followed by
• Airports
• Amusement Parks
• Churches
• Event Centers
• Health Fitness Facilities
• Malls
• Work Sites

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The Impact of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

• 350,000 people die each year from sudden cardiac
  arrest nationwide
• 980 per day
• One death every 90 seconds

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The Chain of Survival

• Be a Strong Link in the Chain of Survival

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Early Access
Early 911 access is crucial to get advanced
medical care to the victim as soon as possible.
The Citys dispatch system will show all
registered AED locations. This allows 911
operators to remind the caller to get the AED
when it is needed.
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Early CPR
CPR is the critical link that buys time between
calling 911 and early defibrillation. The
earlier CPR is started the greater the chance of
survival. CPR keeps oxygenated blood flowing to
the brain and heart until defibrillation or other
advanced care can restore normal heart function.
Highly trained 911 operators can provide easy to
follow CPR instructions to the caller while
emergency responders are enroute.
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Early Defibrillation
For every minute that passes while a victim is in
cardiac arrest, the survival rate is decreased by
10. Having an accessible AED and a trained
staff to deliver defibrillation can greatly
increase a victims chance of survival.
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Early Defibrillation

• The City of Arlington has placed AEDs in
• 24 Fire Department Emergency Vehicles
• 12 Police Department Patrol Vehicles
• 44 City Facilities
• Many community partners including The Parks Mall,
  General Motors Corp, Six Flags Over Texas, and
  The University of Texas at Arlington have placed
  AEDs in their facilities.

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Early Advanced Care
The Arlington EMS System provides advanced airway
management, defibrillation, and cardiac drug
administration. These advanced actions allow the
heart in ventricular fibrillation to successfully
resume normal rhythm and functions.
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Arlington Emergency Medical System

• The Fire Department is the first to arrive in
  most medical emergencies and provides advanced
  airway management, early defibrillation, drug
  administration, and CPR in a Cardiac Arrest
  victim.

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Arlington Emergency Medical System

• American Medical Response is the contracted
  ambulance service who provides advance level
  emergency care and transportation.

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What About Liability?
The use of an AED is Covered by Law Good
Samaritan Law Civil Practice Remedies
Code Chapter 74
74.151. LIABILITY FOR EMERGENCY CARE. (a) A
person who in good faith administers emergency
care, including using an automated external
defibrillator, is not liable in civil damages for
an act performed during the emergency unless the
act is willfully or wantonly negligent.
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Liability Continued

• The use of an AED is also covered by
• Health Safety Code
• Chapter 779
• Automated External Defibrillators

779.006. LIABILITY EXEMPTION. The prescribing
physician who authorizes the acquisition of an
automated external defibrillator in accordance
with this chapter, a person or entity that
provides approved training in the use of an
automated external defibrillator in accordance
with this chapter, and the person or entity that
acquires the automated external defibrillator and
meets the requirements of this chapter are not
liable for civil damages for such prescription,
training, or acquisition unless the conduct is
willfully or wantonly negligent. Any person or
entity that acquires an automated external
defibrillator and negligently fails to comply
with the requirements of this chapter is liable
for civil damages caused by such negligence.
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Teamwork
Public Access Defibrillator Programs
Arlington Fire Department and American Medical
Response
Arlington Memorial Hospital and Medical Center of
Arlington
By working together, the chance of surviving a
Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Arlington can be greatly
increased!
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QUESTIONS?
Chip Buckner Quality Improvement
Analyst 817.459.5500 Bucknerc_at_ci.arlington.tx.us