When it comes to cardiac arrest, seconds matter.
That’s why every time a Dearborn Heights firefighter saves someone who is in “full cardiac arrest,” they are given a citation. Fire Chief David Brogan said that firefighter Hunter Moore led the department in 2022 with four such citations, and for his efforts was given the annual Lifesaver Award.”
Brogan said that each minute that passes while a patient is in cardiac arrest, the chances of survival diminish. “Our goal on these runs is to achieve ‘ROSC’, the return of spontaneous circulation,” he said. “In doing so, we have literally saved a life.”
Brogan said that in order to do that, “we need to be fast and efficient.”
That starts with CPR, and continues with defibrillation, starting an IV, intubation, administering several medications, which are dependent on the heart rhythms seen in the patient.