The fire service has a high rate of heart-related emergencies. According to the American Heart Association, the chance of survival from a sudden cardiac arrest decreases by 10 percent for each minute that passes. Is your department prepared for a firefighter's sudden cardiac arrest on a fire scene?

As rapid intervention teams (RIT) set up outside the fire building and prepare for the downed firefighter to be rescued, do they bring an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the front of the building? Let's examine how an AED would help the survival of a downed firefighter due to cardiac arrest.

Fire departments use the front of the building as RIT staging, but what if the downed firefighter gets pulled out of a back door? The fire service can easily adapt to have an AED ready to go in RIT operations to help save the lives of firefighters and paramedics working on scene.

In the last few years, AEDs have become more popular and economical to purchase. Many police and fire departments now have an AED on every vehicle. I've noticed some fire departments also have an advanced life support ambulance as part of the RIT team.

Even if the firefighter is still conscious, certain models of AEDs now allow the EMT or paramedic to analyze the heart rhythm in three leads. This is partially useful if a firefighter suddenly has chest pain, shortness of breath or another sign or symptom of a heart-related issue. The firefighter can walk out to the front of the building to the current RIT team and be assessed quickly.

This goes back to the planning phase and having the AED available quickly for assessment and, if needed, treatment of a shockable rhythm.

Within the last few months, firefighters Christopher Watford and Michael Herbert have developed a 10-step process (see video above) for removing a downed firefighter from full turnout gear and SCBA without interrupting chest compression. The process can be completed with as few as two rescuers, but having more is always desirable.

In conclusion, when thinking in terms of RIT equipment that is needed for a firefighter rescue, the members of the fire service should think to always have an AED in place. The average person can grab an AED in a public place and use it in the event of a cardiac arrest. RIT teams always think of having rescue tools readily available, but now adding an AED can hopefully lower the chance of sudden cardiac arrest on the fire scene.