04.08.2009 Press Release
At the April 8, 2009 West Metro Fire-Rescue District Board of Directors meeting North Memorial Medical Center Transportation Supervisor Michael Murphy presented the North Memorial Ambulance Service Life Saver Award to District Chief Tim Herlofsky, Captain Tom Anderson, Firefighters; Lucas Ahlberg, Erick Anderson, Charlie Black, Chris Brooks, Shawn Lettelleir, Todd Moser and Dan Schwankl.
The awards were given in recognition of the successful resuscitation of a cardiac arrest patient on February 2, 2009. West Metro Fire-Rescue District personnel responded to a report of a 56 year old male in cardiac arrest. On arrival Crystal Police Officers and North Memorial Medical Paramedics were administering advanced life support to the patient. West Metro Fire-Rescue District personnel applied the LUCAS™ CPR device to the patient and started the LUCAS™ CPR treatment protocol. Following several minutes of LUCAS™ CPR, Paramedics defibrillated the patient resulting in the patient’s heart restarting and beginning to beat on its own.
The patient was transported to North Memorial Medical Center for continued care. On February 12, 2009 the patient was discharged from the hospital and returned home. On January 21, 2009 West Metro Fire-Rescue District began a 90-180 day trial of the LUCAS™ CPR device responding to all heart related EMS incidents.
National studies indicate survival rates for cardiac arrest patients treated using traditional methods are approximately 4%. Early studies for patients treated using traditional methods and the LUCAS CPR device.