New CPR technique introduced in the Triad is saving lives

Triad EMTs are saving more lives with a CPR technique that keeps patients on scene, rather than sending them straight to the hospital.

It's called Team-Focused or Pit Crew CPR.

Rockingham County's survival rate is now up to 35% - it used to be less than 1%.

Lieutenant Christina Illiano and her team demonstrated the technique during training Thursday.

Each EMT takes on a different task during CPR. Either a person or a machine gives chest compressions to the patient. Another team member intubates a patient and another sets up an IV.

The goal is to bring the patient back to life before taking them to the hospital. Rockingham County started using team-focused CPR in 2017.

Training Officer Justin Stewart had his doubts about the method. In his 30 years with the department, they always took the patient to the hospital as quickly as possible. He said the thinking then was that hospital treatment would bring the best chance of survival.

His mind changed when he saw statistics on the survival rates with team-focused CPR.

"We were looking at less than 1% as a success rate of a patient surviving and doing well," Stewart said. "(Since switching), we almost got up to 31%, 35% even at one time. We were at 51% success rate for getting pulses back."

Overall, EMS departments nationwide only started using this technique a few years ago. It turns out, EMTs have a better chance of saving people on scene because moving a patient wastes time and decreases the chance of survival.

Guilford and Forsyth County EMS were among the first departments in the state to try team-focused CPR.

Guilford County EMS said their survival rates have also increased, and it's also safer to keep EMTs on the scene, rather than rushing through traffic to get a patient to the hospital.

Illiano has saved about seven people in her four years with the county. She said the best part is seeing their recovery.

"We can follow their journey through the hospital and see how their physical therapy and rehab went, and see them get discharged and go home," Illiano said.