On today’s episode, we carry on last month’s conversation about cardiac arrest management and care.
Recorded at the Paramedicine Across Canada Expo (PACE) Conference in Saskatoon in September 2022, we’re sitting down with Mike Humphrey and Adam Perrett of Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services to talk about how they’ve revolutionized that care provided to the citizens of Lethbridge, Alberta.
We walk through how they train, evaluate, and feedback data with respect to cardiac arrests; how they use a culture of excellence to deliver high performance CPR leading to improved ROSC rates; and they use real time data to track opiate overdoses in their community.
Sponsored by:
Adam Perrett
Adam Perrett is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Firefighter with more than 20 years of experience. He is the Medical Training Officer for Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES), where he coordinates and plans all EMS training for frontline staff. Adam is an ACLS, BLS, and PALS instructor and a Rescue Diver with the LFES Water Rescue Team. Adam is committed to optimizing patient care and outcomes; and is co-leading the implementation of the Cardiac Survivability Program in Lethbridge.
Mike Humphrey
Mike Humphrey is the EMS Operations Officer with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services. He is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Qualified Fire Officer. Mike has been with LFES for 16 years and an ACP for 18. Mike has worked on a number of initiatives within the department including writing LFES’ Mass casualty Response plan and co-authoring LFES’ Active Shooter/Assailant guidelines.
LFES established a Cardiac Arrest Survivability Program October of 2021, in which mike, was the co-leader. In that time LFES staff have bought into that program and it is a source of great pride and excitement at all levels of the organization. Since starting this program people are walking out of the hospital that may not have in years past.
Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services is a fire integrated EMS service that serves approx. 120000 people and responds to about 22000 calls for service a year. There are 5 Fire halls and 6 fulltime ambulances. LFES staffs 180 members and 160 of those are ACPs. All of our apparatus Fire or EMS are ALS equipped with ACPs and all members. Members on an ambulance can expect to be included in direct fire suppression as well as members on a fire engine are expected to provide ALS treatment when engaged in Medical First Response.
Lethbridge Fire & Emergency Services is one of North America’s oldest integrated fire-EMS services. In 2022 Lethbridge celebrated their 110th year of service integration. Lethbridge is a city in Southern Alberta, just over an hour from the Canada-US border, with a population of approximately 120,000 (City and primary response area).
Excellent discussion, very much like the pre-charged defib, I have seen a few medics do that and it is a time saver…
interesting to see such an integrated system. very progressive and leading the way of what might come across the country.
Thank you
Good podcast. I like the idea of everyone has a role going into it.