Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burke County honors lifesavers and reports EMS improvements, field blood capability
Summary
At its Nov. 17 meeting the board recognized multiple lay rescuers and first responders with Lifesaver Awards. Emergency services director James Robinson highlighted several rescues, named responders, and reported improvements in the county’s CPR return-to-spontaneous-circulation rate from under 8% to 28%.
Burke County honored several civilians and emergency personnel Nov. 17 for life-saving actions and highlighted improvements in local emergency response.
Emergency services director James Robinson described multiple incidents that prompted Lifesaver Awards, including pool rescues at the Morganton Aquatic Center and an out-of-house resuscitation guided by 911 telecommunicators. Robinson recognized named individuals — including a lifeguard identified as Miss Gibby and lay responders such as Mister Reyes and a neighbor who initiated chest compressions under telecommunicator instruction — and several EMS crews and dispatchers involved in the cases.
Robinson noted the county’s CPR success (return to spontaneous circulation) rate had improved from less than 8% historically to about 28% under current protocols and training. He also emphasized local partnerships, including a training partnership with Western Piedmont Community College that provides nationally recognized education, state tuition waivers and staff credentialing for paramedics and EMTs.
The board presented awards to recipients and acknowledged the contributions of bystanders and telecommunicators who provided lifesaving instructions. Robinson said the county maintains limited in-field blood capabilities and recounted a case where blood transfusion and multiple successful resuscitations led to a positive patient outcome.
