Firefighter Down CPR

[x635 4,066]

Are there any departments locally that are implementing this into their training and protocols?

FIREFIGHTER SPECIFIC CPR:

The Leland, North Carolina FD has developed a very important and professionally presented program to address the issue of dealing with firefighters who may experience sudden cardiac arrest on the fireground while in full turnouts.

Here's an article from FireNews.net:

http://www.firenews.net/leland-fr-develops-firefighter-cpr/

They also have a dedicated website with videos and other training materials. All of their content is available for sharing.

http://fd-cpr.com/

Source: www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

[mikeinet 37]

Interesting concept... seems like an awful lot of coordination to do.

I like the idea of someone sitting behind the patient so you can begin CPR with the pack still on...though I kind of feel like doing 2min of compression, stopping and then quickly everyone pulling off the scba and mask and helmet may be faster than trying to have a ton of different bodies and hands doing multiple things at the same time.

[x635 4,066]

Would the AHA or REMSCO have to approve an "add-on" technique like this? Or given the highly specialized unique need for this technique, could the local fire chief put this in place on his own?

[SteveC7010 58]

Would the AHA or REMSCO have to approve an "add-on" technique like this? Or given the highly specialized unique need for this technique, could the local fire chief put this in place on his own?

Seth, opinion only:

AHA just teaches high quality compressions and rate along with ventilation and defibrillation (acknowledging the 2015 AHA changes are about to hit the street) even for rescuer level.

REMSCO protocols just specify the need for CPR and, much the same as AHA, just rate and quality, defib cycles, etc.

Neither has anything to say about how one gets the patient into a position where "ideal" CPR, defib, and other measures plus transport can be performed. In my view, it's the kind of thing that could be adopted and practiced at the local agency level. Nothing in the procedure appears to be contrary to AHA or REMSCO protocol. It actually calls for and requires continuous, high quality, uninterrupted CPR.

I showed the video at our monthly ambulance squad meeting this evening. There was a lot of enthusiasm and interest from all the folks present, including our local fire chief.

[sueg 77]

I give the LeLand Fire Department a lot of credit for having members who realized after one of their members had gone down on a scene that doffing gear from a downed firefighter can be a tremendously hard thing to do. The 10-step method they devised seems to accomplish doffing gear and providing immediate care while minimizing how many people would be drawn away from the other tasks at hand on a fire scene and actually looks great and very easy to accomplish. I can't wait to ambush some unsuspecting firefighters who wander by the firehouse on a slow day to practice the method on a mannequin and see the plusses and minuses. Immediate compressions (if he does not need it, I'm sure the firefighter might let you know quickly enough) and it is through gear at first, so no additional damage, plus it has you remove the helmet and mask fairly quickly to see how responsive or not the FF is and provides clear access to airway in case there is vomit in the mask or air gone and mask sucked to face, etc. The video shows the procedure can be technically done by 4 firefighters, and once the FF is removed from pack and coat, the EMS people can swarm over him and take further measures.

Always wondered how we would be able to get gear off quickly enough. Luckily, have never had to find out... May even work to get gear off collapsed heat exhaustion FF much more quickly than the lengthy time it usually takes to strip them down - minus the compressions, of course .

Worth looking into, at any rate. Kudos to them for thinking outside the box. Gets cramped and stuffy in there sometimes.

[AFS1970 504]

I just watched this video. It doesn't seem like it would conflict with any other CPR protocols. Even the concept of getting the patient onto solid ground and off of soft cushions says to do so when possible.

Although not under ideal conditions this seems to me that it could be put into place as part of a RIT/FAST operation provided you could get to somewhere outside of IDLH (like a front yard or area of refuge). It is certainly a skill that could be added to RIT/FAST training.

This is something that everyone should train on, as that way anyone can fill any position. The video shows a hand off to EMS but really given that we often talk about being shorthanded, CPR can be done by anyone and that leg drag should be able to be done by anyone. It might even be worth including PD in this training as they may find themselves as available hands on scene.

I would also like to try working with bomb squads about adapting this to the bomb suit. I have no idea how to get in and out of one of those but I know they include SCBA. It might even be able to be adapted to Haz-Mat suits, although due to the way they are sealed more might need to be cut off.