Every year, more than 300,000 people die from cardiac arrest, but a new study could help cut into that number for communities around here.
When your heart stops, time is of the essence, but that doesn’t just go for paramedics getting on scene.
“Good compressions on someone? A maximum of two minutes — a minute, really ideal,” said Rich Burns, Brunswick County’s EMS training coordinator.
How paramedics respond once they get there is just as critical. That’s why Brunswick County EMS is part of a Duke University study to look into the best practices for treating cardiac arrest. Similar studies have already led to real changes in the county.
“This is the same type of thing that started our Pit Crew CPR which we started several years ago,” said EMS deputy director Lyle Johnston.