HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01241989 - 1.53 iM I . 53
TO. ' 136ARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Contra
Costa
DATE*. J a n u a ry 17, 1989 Cry
��
SUBJECT: Defibrillation Program for County Facilities �'� ��1
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION S) & BACKGROUND AM JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. That the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County encourage the
implementation of the fire fighter first responder defibrillation program
proposed under Measure "H" , and defer consideration of placing defibrillation
devices in County facilities until the "Rapid Medical Response Program" has
been implemented and evaluated by the Emergency Medical Services Agency.
2. That the County continues to make cardiopulmonary resuscitation training
(CPR) available to all County employees.
BACKGROUND:
A presentation was made to the Board of Supervisors by Cardio Devices
on the benefits of a defibrillation program. The Board asked the County
Administrator to examine the feasibility of locating defibrillation equipment
in major County facilities (those with 200 or more employees) .
Cardio Devices markets the Heartstart 1000 Automatic Defibrillator. This
device analyzes cardiac rhythm and delivers a shock after electronically
detecting and assessing ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia.
The estimated cost of a unit is $5,000.
COST OF INSTALLATION:
The cost to install these units in major County facilities is $75,000
($5,000 per unit X 15 facilities) .
There are 15 County facilities with 200 or more persons. This includes
County employees and other persons.
TRAINING:
Assembly Bill 3037 allows lay people with a physician's prescription to
use defibrillators on unidentified patients. The Bill also permits the State
Emergency Medical Services Authority to establish minimum standards for training
and use of these devices by lay people. The standards have not yet been deve-
loped. 1
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X*X YES SIGNATURE,
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMME A ION F .444 COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S :
ACTION OF BOARD ON -JAN Z 4 198J APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED >< OTHER _
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES; NOES. AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Administrator ATTESTED
JAN 2 4 1989
County PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Risk Management
ENSSUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY
M382/7-83 �i �� �,� Q� DEPUTY
LIABILITY EXPOSURE:
The Heartstart 1000 Auto Defibrillator analyzes the heart condition and
will not function if improperly applied or if a shock is not needed. However,
the County could be liable for damages because of injury resulting from improper
training and misapplication of equipment or because of the availability of
equipment without properly trained personnel .
COURSE OF ACTION:
The County is developing and will implement a Rapid Medical Response
Program designed to upgrade paramedic, communications, and other emergency
medical services. Part of this program is early assistance to people suffering
heart attacks by training and equipping firefighter first responders to use
automatic defibrillation equipment. Following implementation of that program
and development of State standards for lay defibrillation, the proposal to place
defibrillation devices in County facilities should be evaluated by Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) .
An important element in saving lives of heart attack victims is cardio-
pulmonary resuscitation '(CPR) . The responsibilities of building and floor
wardens in County facilities include developing a knowledge of CPR procedures.
In addition, the County has a CPR training program in place and will continue to ,
make this training available to 'all County employees. 'Treatment of heart attack
victims by CPR-trained personnel , coupled with a First Response Program that
includes defibrillation, is the recommended course of action at this time.