Cyanide Anitdote Kits For Structure Fire And CO Victims

[x635 4,066]

This is the first I've heard of it. It seems to have a lot of potential. Any other agencies using this?

New Houston, TX FD Procedure Saving Lives

By Kevin Quinn

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An elderly woman's life was saved due to quick thinking by firefighters. Crews from the Houston Fire Department used a special kit from the Homeland Security Department to help the woman who was overcome by smoke. It's not the first time the kit has been used.

That woman was rescued from this house, which you can see is a total loss at Sayers and Fogle in northeast Houston. Her life was saved with a tool originally used to treat victims of terrorist attacks.

As the flames raged Wednesday night, firefighters rescued two people. One was an 80-year-old woman who was suffering from so much smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning that emergency crews saw no option but to try a new procedure.

FULL ARTICLE: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=...&id=6964290

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I have read alot about it and have seen it. It was featured not too long ago in a JEMS issue and Fire Engineering supplement that dealt with CO and cyanide poisoning in relation to firefighters (it highlighted a cyanide issue that occurred to nearly an entire shift of Providence FF's) as well and has been in use in Europe for a couple of years. If I remember correctly in the FE supplement it talked about how in France it is a standing order that any smoke inhalation victim from fire receives the medication. It works better and is obviously easier to administer then the traditional cyanide antidote kits we are use to seeing with amyl nitrate pearls. I think one of the factors that makes it less popular in some areas is the cost of it.

On a side note due to an interesting case recently...anyone know of what labs or hospitals in the area can test for cyanide?

[Goose 188]

I bet most hospital labs could test for it if they needed to. They can also test for it in urine apparently.

[ny10570 745]

Any hospital lab can detect cyanide. FDNY EMS now has the cyano kits(hydroxycobalmin) and are standing order for any smoke inhalation victim with unexplained hypotension, AMS, coma, seizure, respiratory failure, or arrest. The only catch is that it turns the patient red. Skin, organs and fluids so these are the only patients we're drawing bloods for before drug administration. One catch is Sodium Thiosulfate, Diazepam, and Dopamine cannot be administered via the same IV.

[x635 4,066]

Excellent info NY10570! Good to hear the FDNY has that protocol as well!

[antiquefirelt 994]

Any hospital lab can detect cyanide.

My understanding is that most hospitals cannot test for cyanide in a useful manner. The issue being the lab technique/equipment needed to preform the tests rapidly enough to be useful. There was an article by Kurt Varone of Providence Fire about 2 years ago explaining their "stumbling" upon this issue with numerous firefighters exposed in one day at two separate fires. I'll dig a little, I know a guy in a nearby FD that was trying to prepare a program for our State to get EMS the Cyno-kits and he had a lot of good info.

UPDATE: Here's the Link to D/C Varone's article: http://www.fireengineering.com/display_art...UCH-0F-A-THREAT

At the time of his research only one hospital in New England was performing the complex blood cyanide tests that ensure results in 2 hrs. Most others send blood cyanide tests out.

Edited September 3, 2009 by antiquefirelt

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Any hospital lab can detect cyanide.

NY I think you would be surprised at how many actually don't have the resources to do it. I asked that question due to a recent incident in my response area with the attending ED physician has a small suspicion of potential cyanide exposure and the original receiving facility could not, nor could the secondary (higher treatment capability) facility. In fact by the time he was stabilized I think they ruled out the potential for the exposure due to time and not testing. I'd rather not mention the facilities but just wanted to bring it up.

[ny10570 745]

I take that back. Apparently is all of the Trauma and Burn centers have the capability.