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The Hazelwood Fire Department is the first fire department Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency in North St. Louis County to install and bring online state of the art heart monitors and defibrillators capable of transmitting 12-lead EKGs for victims of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infraction (STEMI), a common form of heart attack.

In recent weeks, Hazelwood firefighter/paramedics have used this new equipment on several Emergency “911 Calls” with SSM DePaul Health Center, producing great results for the patient, announced Chief Medical Officer David Gulley, Hazelwood Fire Department.

According to many medical experts, the 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) is currently the best, most effective screening tool available to identify heart attacks caused by artery blockages in the field. After attaining a 12-lead strip from a patient, Hazelwood firefighter/paramedics can transmit the heart’s electrical activity recorded from electrodes on the body surface. This data is then interpreted by the EMS staff at DePaul. If the information indicates an acute MI, the cath lab is activated and the patient is directly transported there instead of the ER.

SSM DePaul Health Center is a recipient of the 2009 Premier Award for Quality. DePaul was one of just 23 hospitals nationwide, and the only one in St. Louis, to receive this honor. The Premier Award for Quality recognizes leading healthcare organizations that consistently provide outstanding patient care and set the standard in clinical excellence nationwide. DePaul has developed Stroke and STEMI teams that are not only well qualified, but produce excellent outcomes for patients transported by Hazelwood Fire Department Emergency Services.

“Since we installed and brought our 12-lead EKG transmission capability online in July, we’ve had several successful outcomes through our partnership with SSM DePaul Health Center. One of them involved a 73-year-old patient who was having a heart attack when our Hazelwood firefighter/paramedics arrived on the scene. Because our firefighter/paramedics were able to immediately transmit the patient’s 12-lead EKGs to DePaul’s EMS staff, a cardiologist was put on stand by and waited for the patient’s arrival at the cath lab. The surgical team was able to stop the heart attack and the patient went home afterwards,” said Gulley.

Two years ago, the Hazelwood City Council authorized the purchase of new heart monitors and defibrillators capable of transmitting 12-lead EKGs hospitals to a cath lab-capable hospital like SSM DePaul Health Center. The Hazelwood Emergency Services also recommended additional training for its firefighter/paramedics to use this advanced equipment.

Hazelwood has a stand-alone system that allows 12-lead EKGs to be transmitted by wireless Bluetooth phone technology to any area STEMI receiving center.

In recent years, the state of Missouri ranked 40th and 44th in the treatment respectfully of Stroke and (STEMI) ST elevation Myocardial Infarctions. Recognizing the need for improving health outcomes, state legislators passed House Bill 1790 in 2008. This reform legislation authorized the Department of Health and Senior Services to create Time Critical Diagnosis protocols for Emergency Medical Services to develop early and continued care for trauma, stroke and heart attacks caused by artery blockages.

While Missouri’s heart disease and stroke death rates are declining, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the state. Stroke ranks third. When a Missouri resident suffers a heart attack or stroke, their survival and recovery directly depends on the time it takes to receive treatment. The goal of this system-wide reform is to get trauma, stroke and heart attack patients the right care in the right place in the right amount of time.

Hazelwood Fire District’s new online state of the art heart monitors and defibrillators are capable of transmitting 12-lead EKGs for victims of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infraction (STEMI), a common form of heart attack.

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