Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County Fire Rescue is pleased to announce that the cardiac arrest data for 2012/13 is in and the percentage of cardiac arrest patients discharged from hospital continues to improve. The data shows that the cardiac arrest save rate in Alachua County is nearly three times the national average. 

Cardiac arrest outcome is one of the indicators that demonstrate the high quality care that the Alachua County EMS system provides to the citizens and visitors of Alachua County. The County EMS system begins with the 911 call and terminates with patient outcome. The system consists of Alachua County Fire Rescue; Alachua County Sheriff’s Office; Gainesville Fire Rescue; Micanopy Fire Department; Newberry Fire Department; High Springs Fire Department; LaCrosse Fire Department; Cross Creek, Melrose, and Windsor Volunteer Fire Departments (All of the Fire Departments are members of the Alachua County Fire Services Network); ShandsCair; Shands/UF Hospital; and North Florida Regional Hospital.

During the review period (March 2012 to February 2013), Alachua County Fire Rescue transported 133 cardiac arrest patients. In the study, the 133 cardiac arrests were grouped into two subsets: return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and discharged from hospital.

Resuscitation efforts initiated and patient transported – 133 (100%)

·        Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) – 54 (40.6%)

·        Discharged from Hospital – 28 (21%)

The national average of cardiac arrest patients with ROSC is 25% (National Cardiac Arrest Registry). Our system achieved 41% ROSC or nearly twice the national average.

The national average of a cardiac arrest patient discharge from hospital is 7.5%. Our system achieved 21%, or nearly three times the national average. Additionally, patient discharge improved by 56% from the 2010/11 review.

View a graph of the cardiac arrest data.

Each element of the EMS system from the E-911 data base, Combined Communication Center, Law Enforcement, Fire Rescue First Responders and Advance Life Support Rescue, Helicopter Air Transport, and local hospitals are equally important to the successful patient outcomes that our Community experiences.

For more information, contact Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief, Ed Bailey at 352-384-3130.