LFR Reveals New Equipment to Further Improve an Already Good Cardiac Survival Rate

Courtesy of the City of Lincoln.

LINCOLN–(KFOR/News Release Feb. 17)–New lifesaving equipment was unveiled by Lincoln Fire and Rescue Friday morning that will enhance the departments already high cardiac survival success rates.

“Outfitting our paramedics with state-of-the-art equipment will provide even better medical care and health outcomes for our residents and support the safety of our first responders who provide that essential and life-saving care,” Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said during a news conference inside Fire Station 15 off of 66th and Pine Lake Road. “As Lincoln grows, my administration continues to prioritize public safety investments in our city budget that keep you, your family, and our first responders safe.”

Money from the new equipment comes from the 2023 city budget and is part of a $2.2-million, no interest, five-year lease program that includes maintenance.

LFR has the following in their ambulance fleet.

35 cardiac monitors
20 cardiac monitor simulators used for training
12 powered cots to lift patients to a level to load into the ambulance rather than personnel bending and lifting
11 devices to load patients into ambulances, which reduce risk of injuries to first responders
12 motorized devices used to move patients more easily down stairs
8 automatic chest compression devices
11 lighted intubation devices used to illuminate patients’ airways during insertion of breathing tubes
6 automated external defibrillators to be placed in all LFR support vehicles

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Fire and Rescue/City of Lincoln.

“The new equipment will also make certain that the members of our community are getting the best patient care. Every success we enjoy matches the hard work of the women and men of this organization but also the support of the people of our community,” Fire Chief Dave Engler said.

Engler added that a new computerized dispatch system will ensure fast response times and efficient deployment of paramedics, who were called upon 27,000 times in 2022.

“LFR’s attention to performance, development of community relationships and continual improvement will result in making Lincoln one of the best performing EMS systems in the country and provide the best outcomes for the Lincoln community,” Chief Engler said.

Overall, the survival rate for non-traumatic cardiac arrests in Lincoln for 2022 is 18.4%, twice the average nationally, according to most recent statistics. This means that 26 people were revived following a sudden cardiac arrest.

Lincoln Fire and Rescue has received the Mission Lifeline Award from the American Heart Association for seven consecutive years – the last five being Gold Plus Awards.

More information on LFR is available at fire.lincoln.ne.gov.