Calif. Agency`s SCA Save Rates Among Highest in the Nation

SAN RAMON, CA - The San Ramon Valley may be one of the safest places to experience a cardiac emergency in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke and other heart diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States. Recent data has shown that patients who experience sudden cardiac arrest are far more  likely to survive if that episode occurs in the San Ramon Valley.

Nationally, if you experience a sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting, your chances of surviving hovers around 8.5 percent.¹ Here in the San Ramon Valley your chance of survival is two times higher at 17.9 percent. Valley residents have an even greater occurrence of survival if someone witnesses their cardiac emergency and their heart is able to be shocked by an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), in this scenario the likelihood of survival increases to 46.9 percent versus 26.3 percent nationwide.²

“We are very proud of our cardiac arrest survival statistics,” said Fire Chief Paige Meyer. “We attribute our success to many factors including our 911 Communication Center who utilizes Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD), our rigorous paramedic training program, state of the art equipment on all our fire engines and ambulances, and our community outreach program that teaches hands-only CPR to over 2000 residents each year.”

San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District who provides advanced emergency medical services to the communities of Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, San Ramon and the Tassajara Valley is passionate about cardiac care. 

“As a sudden cardiac arrest survivor and advocate for bystander CPR and AED use, I know the importance of rapid quality care,” said Joe Farrell, Danville resident.  “I am proud to live in a community that takes such pride in their level of patient care and I rest easy at night knowing I’m safer simply because I live here.”

San Ramon Valley firefighter/paramedics are also equipped with the newest state-of-the-art tool that could make cardiac care even stronger throughout the District.

Over the past couple months, firefighter/paramedics have been training and using the new LIFEPAK 15 cardiac monitors. These cardiac monitors are an essential tool when responding to advanced life support (ALS) calls. Similar to what you would see in an emergency room, cardiac monitors perform 12-lead EKG readings that help Firefighter/Paramedics determine the most appropriate treatment. The cardiac monitors function as defibrillators, blood pressure monitors, and oxygen saturation monitors.  While the Fire District has been using similar monitors for the past eight years, the new LIFEPACK 15 now has the capability to wirelessly transmit the patient’s current medical condition directly to the emergency room. This information will allow hospitals time to prepare the most appropriate medical team and treatment for the patient upon arrival.

The purchase of the LIFEPAK 15 monitors were part of a grant awarded to Contra Costa County EMS as part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program (AFG).

About San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Emergency Medical Services

The delivery of high quality, effective patient care is facilitated by an EMS Coordinator and an EMS Specialist who report to the Battalion Chief of Special Operations. The District operates five fully equipped Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances daily and maintains an additional three ambulances in reserve. District ALS ambulances are equipped with state of the art medical equipment. All engines and trucks are also staffed with at least one paramedic. The District also maintains a Multi Casualty Incident (MCI) vehicle and supply trailer for large scale emergency medical incidents.

About San Ramon Valley 911 Communication Center

The District’s Communications Center provides pre-arrival instruction to responding emergency personnel utilizing the Medical Priority Dispatch System which is integrated into the District's Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Emergency instructions are given by highly skilled dispatchers trained in assisting a caller in life saving techniques such as CPR. Dispatchers will continue to talk to the caller through the emergency until the emergency crew arrives, and will assure the caller that help is on the way. In 1996, the District's communications center was accredited by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD) as an Accredited Center of Excellence - only the seventh center to receive this prestigious award worldwide. In 2000, 2004, 2008 and in 2012 the communication center was reaccredited by NAEMD.

About the San Ramon Valley HeartSafe Community Program

The HeartSafe Community Committee is made up of representatives from the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, the City of San Ramon, the Town of Danville, The San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services and many committed community members under the charge of the San Ramon Valley Citizen Core Council. The mission of the group is to encourage residents to learn hands-only CPR, promote the placement of public access AEDs in local businesses and community buildings, and facilitate the CPR in the Schools program.  Since the committee achieved HeartSafe status in January of 2011, they have trained over 4500 community members in hands-only CPR and the proper use of an AED. Additionally, during this time the District has seen a sharp increase in the occurrence of bystander CPR, in 2010 bystander CPR was administered 35 percent of the time and in 2012 that number had risen to over 50 percent.[iii]

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District is an internationally-accredited special district that provides all-risk fire, rescue and emergency medical services to the communities of Alamo, Blackhawk, the Town of Danville, Diablo, the City of San Ramon, the southern area of Morgan Territory and the Tassajara Valley, in Northern California (Contra Costa County). The District’s service area encompasses approximately 155 square miles and serves a population of 170,000.

References

1. Valderrama, Amy, L, PhD (2011). Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Surveillance --- Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2-36

*All National Cardiac Arrest Statistics taken from the above report.

2. According to Contra Costa County EMS and the CDC CARES report San Ramon Valley Fire presented the following data for the 2012 calendar year:

Overall Survival rate: 17.9%

Utstein Survival rate: (Bystander witnessed, shockable): 46.9.%

Bystander CPR: 53%

3. Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services statistics of bystander CPR occurrences in San Ramon Valley in 2010 and 2012.