Master Plan Nashua Fire Rescue, NH
Emergency Medical Event Sequence
Cardiac arrest is the most significant life-threatening medical event in emergency medicine today. A victim
of cardiac arrest has mere minutes in which to receive lifesaving care if there is to be any hope for
resuscitation. The American Heart Association (AHA) issued a set of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
guidelines designed to streamline emergency procedures for heart attack victims, and to increase the
likelihood of survival. The AHA guidelines include goals for the application of cardiac defibrillation to cardiac
arrest victims. Cardiac arrest survival chances fall by 7 to 10% for every minute between collapse and
defibrillation. Consequently, the AHA recommends cardiac defibrillation within five minutes of cardiac
arrest. As with fires, the sequence of events that lead to emergency cardiac care can be graphically illustrated,
as in the following figure.
Figure 118. Cardiac Arrest Event Sequence
Detect Report Dispatch Turnout —_ =>
95%
90% - er
80% +
100% -
715%
70% ~
60% -
50%
50% ~
40% -
Survival Percentage
30% + 259
20% -
12%
6%
10% ~
0% I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Minutes
The percentage of opportunity for recovery from cardiac arrest drops quickly as time progresses. The stages
of medical response are very similar to the components described for a fire response. Recent research
stresses the importance of rapid cardiac defibrillation and administration of certain medications as a means
of improving the opportunity for successful resuscitation and survival.
People, Tools, and Time
Time matters a great deal in the achievement of an effective outcome to an emergency event. Time,
however, is not the only factor. Delivering sufficient numbers of properly trained, appropriately equipped
personnel within the critical time period completes the equation.
Emergency Services
ESC) Consulting International 167
