AED applied prior to Ambulance arrival by first responder:
Berwyn 60%
Pennsylvania 39%
National: 26%
Berwyn Fire & EMS First responders, including police officers from Tredyffrin and Easttown often arrive prior to the ambulance and are equipped with Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The goal is to get a defibrillator on a patient within minutes to increase survival chances. After 10 minutes, there is almost no chance of an AED being effective.
Shockable Rhythm when AED applied by first responder:
Berwyn: 30%
Pennsylvania: 15%
National: 16%
AEDs need a 'Shockable Rhythm' in order to work. In simple terms, the AED resets a poor electrical pulsing of the heart back into a good electrical pulsing to make the heart function properly. When Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens, the electrical pulsing fades away after a short period of time. The longer it takes to get the AED attached, the less chance there is of the AED shocking the patient. Our 30% rate as compared to the state and national means that our first responders are effectively getting AEDs on patients in good time prior to the ambulance arrival.
Sustained ROSC (Return of spontaneous circulation):
Berwyn: 35%
Pennsylvania: 29%
National: 27%
Return of spontaneous circulation is achieved after an AED shock and/or CPR. While this does not mean the person will survive, it does mean that shocks, CPR and other Advanced Life Support (ALS) intervention has restarted the heart enough so to where you can feel a pulse on the patient. ROSC is the first step in the lifesaving process during a sudden cardiac arrest event.
Overall Survival with Hospital discharge and good to moderate brain function:
Berwyn: 25%
Pennsylvania: 6%
National: 7%
Out of hospital discharge with good to moderate brain function is considered a 'clinical save' and is the pinnacle of what EMS exists to do. In simple terms, these are lives saved after the patient's heart has stopped and they are sent home with good quality of life due to little or no brain damage from lack of oxygen.
Despite the pandemic, which further complicated EMS responses, our providers rose to the occasion and saved several lives in the Tredyffrin/Easttown community. We could not be more proud of our first responders for so far exceeding these state and national averages. The addition of our Quick Response Service Unit and opening of our fire/EMS substation in Tredyffrin Township have played major roles in this community success.
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