Orange County NC Website
<br />The factors that most commonly impact response time include: <br />- The time required to access and engage the vehicle <br />- The speed at which the emergency vehicles is able to travel <br />- The distance that must be covered to the incident dispatched, and <br />- Under what conditions <br /> <br />Consequences of increased response times for cardiac arrest/stroke: <br /> <br />0-1 minute; cardiac irritability <br />0-4 minutes; brain damage not likely <br />4-6 minutes; brain damage possible <br />6-10 minutes; brain damage very likely <br />>10 minutes; irreversible brain damage <br /> <br />Response Time <br /> <br />“…..have recommended that EMS vehicles should respond to deliver BSL (basic life <br />support) skills within 3 to 4 minutes, with ALS (advanced life support) skills available <br />within 6 to 8 minutes. The ALS-within-8-minute concept was developed from research <br />that showed the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims decreases significantly with each <br />passing minute, and that optimal probabilities for survival increase when BLS has been <br />provided within 4 minutes followed by ALS within 8 minutes.” <br /> <br />American College of Emergency Physicians <br />American Heart Association <br />American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons <br />National Fire Protection Association <br /> <br />He said that it is a concern that the average response time in 2011 was 10:47. <br /> <br />Response Time <br /> <br />OCEMS Agency Standards per System Plan: <br /> <br />For Emergency Responses; <br />…..a paramedic on scene within 12 minutes 90% of the time <br /> <br />For Non-Emergency Responses; <br />……a paramedic on scene within 15 minutes 90% of the time <br /> <br />Although not acceptable to the referenced standards setting and professional <br />organizations cited, concern can be offset somewhat by effective and timely response <br />from certified BLS responders; i.e. certified Medical Responders (MR) and Basic Level <br />Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s). <br /> <br />In Orange County, these responders-per the OEMS System Plan-are comprised of <br />members of the 12 municipal and community Fire Departments. <br /> <br /> <br />