EMS Recognizes Cardiac Arrest Survivors
Escambia County Emergency Medical Services staff recognized seven sudden cardiac arrest survivors at a ceremony Tuesday, May 22 at Escambia County Public Safety, where they had an opportunity to meet the people who brought them back to life.
The ceremony was conducted in conjunction with National EMS Week May 20-28, which honors emergency medical service professionals for their dedication to public service while raising awareness about the many EMS services, resources and programs available to Escambia County citizens. This year’s theme was EMS Strong: Stronger Together.
At the ceremony, Escambia County EMS staff emphasized the importance of hands-only CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, which only have about a 10 percent survival rate, according to the American Heart Association. Early application of bystander CPR and rapid defibrillation from an AED have proven to be crucial in improving a person’s chance of survival.