In the heart of bustling Fort Lauderdale, first responders face a host of challenges. One of their biggest obstacles: high-rises.
Many new luxury buildings in the city have layered security, and multiple entrances and elevators. Getting access to a patient, or the source of a fire, can take precious minutes.
According to the American Heart Association, brain death can begin 4 to 6 minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest, which is why fire departments generally work to have a 6-minute arrival time.
Records show Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue has maintained a consistent arrival time from dispatch to scene since 2015, despite the growing number of high-rises downtown.
What records don't show is how long it takes first responders to get to the patient once they've arrived at the scene.