Three Successful USES of AED Within 2 hours

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

In Prince Georges County, Monday, August 13, there were 3 successful uses of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in 3 different areas of the county within a two hour time frame, two cases in which bystanders initiated CPR.

Three successful AED uses within 2 hours in Prince George's County.

10:48 am – Crews were dispatched for a reported Cardiac Arrest in front of Cipriano Woods Apartments 8627 Greenbelt road.  Engine 848, West Lanham Hills, was first to arrive on the scene, and found a bystander performing CPR on a male in his 70’s, the crew continued CPR and attached the patient to an AED, and shocked the patient several times until the arrival of advanced life support (ALS) which was the Northern EMS Duty Officer. Upon his arrival and assisting with patient care the EMS Duty Officer placed a paramedic unit originally dispatched to this call in-service which played a key role in the next incident. The EMS Duty Officer and Paramedic Officer from E848, continued resuscitation efforts in A814, Berwyn Heights,where a pulse was restored and the patient was transported to a nearby hospital where he was stabilized and shortly air lifted to another hospital for more extensive cardiac care.

10:54 am – Crews were dispatched to a reported Cardiac Arrest at the CVS Store at  5700 Riverdale Road.  E813B, Riverdale Heights, arrived on the scene within 4 minutes to find a bystander performing CPR to an approximate 60-year-old male.  The engine crew from 813B took over CPR, placed the patient on their AED and shocked the patient, continued CPR, and transferred care to MD844, Chillum, who arrived shortly after being diverted from the above incident.  Medic 844’s crew continued resuscitation efforts, working with the engine crew and A813, and transported the patient who’s pulse was restored to a nearby hospital.  The patient has since been admitted to the ICU.

12:26 pm – A820, Upper Marlboro, and Medic 845, Croom, were dispatched to a reported seizure at the McDonalds, 15475 Marlboro Pike in Upper Marlboro.  A820 arrived approximately 3 min after dispatch to find and approx 50-year-old male pulsless and apnic.  The crew quickly began CPR, attached the patient to an AED where the patient was shocked 1 time, and cpr was continued.  The crew from A820 transferred care to the arriving medic unit MD845 who continued resuscitation efforts, restored a pulse, and because of transport time, they were able to initiate the new hypothermia protocol in Maryland (where a patients who’s pulse is restored to rapidly cooled to improve functional recovery of vital organs) and transported the patient to Southern Maryland Hospital, where the patient unfortunately passed away two hours later.

Fire Chief Bashoor, upon hearing of these incidents, stated, "I commend everyone involved, the citizens, firefighter/medics and hospital staff for providing the best possible chance of survival for these victims.  Job well done."

These incidents illustrate the need for the 4 links in the American Heart Association Chain of Survival which are; Early access to Emergency Care (911), Early CPR (Bystander/citizen), Early Defibrillation (AED), and Early Advanced Care (paramedics/Emergency Room).  Every first line piece of fire apparatus and basic life support (BLS) units in the County are equipped with AED’s to provide this early access to defibrillation, and our ALS units are equipped with more advanced defibrillators.

Anyone interested in learning CPR and how to use an AED should call the Fire/EMS Departments Safety First CPR Information Line at 301-864-LIVE.  YOu will hear locations where these life saving techniques are taught.

The Fire/EMS Department also strongly encourages places of public assembly, private and public sector, to purchase AED's and make them available in plain view. 

Credit: Firefighter/Medic Lieutenant Bryan M. Spies, Quality Assurance in the EMS Office, for providing information for this report.