Lincoln Fire and Rescue on Friday released its latest cardiac arrest survival statistics. The report shows Lincoln survival rates ranking above national averages in several categories. In 2020, LFR responded to 148 cardiac arrest cases caused by a medical event not due to a traumatic injury. Lincoln’s survival rate for these emergencies is 16.9% compared to the 9% national average.
The report also shows that when a person experiences cardiac arrest in Lincoln, citizen bystanders are more likely to perform CPR until LFR arrives. Of the 148 non-traumatic cases, bystanders performed CPR 70.9 % of the time prior to LFR arrival compared to the national CPR rate of 40.2%. This resulted in a 35% survival rate compared to a national survival rate of 29.2%.
“Lincoln Fire and Rescue has worked closely with our medical director, Lincoln hospitals, and the 911 communications center to ensure we provide the absolute best chance for survival from pre-hospital cardiac arrest,” says Fire Chief David Engler. “Attention to performance, developing solid relationships and continual outcome-based improvement has resulted in one of the best performing EMS systems in the country.”
Engler says the best outcome for a patient in cardiac arrest includes four aspects combining for the best result: early detection of a person in cardiac arrest and activation of EMS, early CPR, early defibrillation (AED) and early Advanced Cardiopulmonary Life Support.
More information on LFR is available at fire.lincoln.ne.gov.