EMS THANKED FOR QUICK ACTION IN SAVING CARDIAC ARREST VICTIM

  

Washington County EMS Director Kevin Deramus and paramedic Michael Oberhelman were recognized for their service at Tuesday’s County Commissioner’s Meeting.

Deramus and Oberhelman saved the life of Jerry Moore on Tuesday, May 8, who was suffering from asystole, the most serious form of cardiac arrest.  Asystole is found in only about 29 percent of cardiac arrest cases, but the average rate of survival is just 6 percent.  Becky Moore, Jerry’s wife, spotted the early signs of cardiac arrest and called 911 at 10:08 AM.  She called again at 10:12 AM, and Dispatcher Heather Snowden began giving instructions to administer CPR.  Within four minutes, EMS arrived, but the victim had already lost his pulse and was not breathing.

First responders used a suction device to push blood back into the heart.  This tool improves survival rates in patients by around 25 percent.

In 2017, the Washington County EMS reduced the time from emergency calls to dispatch of EMS to less than 31 seconds.  With each minute that passes, at least seven to ten percent chance of success in a cardiac arrest operation is lost.