Lincoln’s survival rates for people who suffered cardiac arrest improved in 2021 and continue to rank above national averages in several categories. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird says in both 2020 and 2021, LFR responded to 148 cardiac arrest cases that were not due to a traumatic injury.
Lincoln’s survival rate for these emergencies increased from 16.9% in 2020 to 20.3% percent in 2021. The national average is 9.1%. This means that of the 148 cases in 2021, 30 people were saved, and Lincoln affords an 11.2% higher opportunity for patients to leave the hospital to continue a normal life with little to no physical deficit.
“We are releasing this data during National EMS Week, and these statistics demonstrate the life-saving work of our community’s emergency medical services team,” says Gaylor Baird. “These survival statistics are the result of a team effort that includes our City’s 911 Communications Center, our Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians, the LFR Medical Director and Lincoln’s outstanding hospitals. Our residents and our visitors are well served by their dedication and professionalism.”
The report also shows that when a person experiences cardiac arrest in Lincoln, civilian bystanders are more likely to perform CPR until LFR arrives. Of the 148 cases in 2021, bystanders performed CPR prior to LFR arrival 67.2% of the time compared to the national CPR rate of 40.2%.