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Table 1 Characteristics of dispatched fire fighters

From: First-response treatment after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a survey of current practices across 29 countries in Europe

Country, Region

Activation by

Location determination

1. Response needed

Role on scene

Equipment

Training; Frequency

Feedback

Financial assistance (NOT including: salary)

2. Information provided by dispatcher

Austria

(N = 8.220000)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim; location of AED

1. Get a local AED or from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Designated EMS staff discuss calls attended with firefighters

Payment of equipment; AED related disposables

Czech Republic,

(N = 10.521646)

Standard communication system

Address and GPS

1. Subsequent call from dispatcher to firefighter or backwards

2. Location of victim; demographics; situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit;

5. BVM,

6. Oxygen

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Designated EMS staff discuss calls attended with firefighters/Firefighters participate in a debrief with EMS staff immediately after an OHCA/the own training officers can also take part

No

Denmark, Capital Region, Region Zealand, Region South

(N = 3.879024)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. No response from the firefighter is required

2. Location of victim

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR

1. AED

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

None

No

Denmark Central Region, Region North

(N = 1.903148)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Introduced low dose, high frequency training

None

No

England

(N = 55.980000)

SMS or APP

Address

1. No response from the firefighter is required

2. Location of victim, demographics (victim) & situational info

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR;

5. They are trained in airway management OP airways

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Firefighter activity is described in the annual report/Firefighters receive a regular report of their activity/Firefighters receive written feedback on individual calls from the EMS

No

Finland

(N = 5.513000)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Firefighter activity is described in the annual report

No

Ireland

(N = 4.830000)

Standard communication system; SMS

Not determined

1. Following local fire and rescue dispatch protocols

2. Location of victim; demographics; situational information

1. Get a local AED or from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Resuscitation kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Bi-annually

Firefighter activity is described in the annual report/Firefighters participate in a debrief with EMS staff immediately after an OHCA

No

Italy, Emilia Romagna

(N = 4.453000)

APP

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim & location of AED

1. Get a local AED or from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Bi-annually

The responder manager sends an email to collect feedback by mail (but is not a routine)

Supported by Emilia Romagna Healthcare Region Funding and Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna for development.

Luxembourg

(N = 6,020,050)

Standard communication system; SMS, Pager

Not determined

1. Following local fire and rescue dispatch protocols

2. Location of victim; demographics; situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; initial advanced training in first aid (~ 40 h), annually 8 h training

None

No

The Netherlands

(N = 17.180000)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim, demographics (victim) and situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR;

4. Maintain a safe situation

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

None

No

Norway

(N = 5.328212)

Standard communication system

Through communication with firefighter dispatch centre

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim; situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Firefighters are motivated to train every year

None

No

Poland

(N = 37.980000)

Standard communication system

Address

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; 3 years

NR

No

Portugal

(N = 10.290000)

Standard communication system

Address

1. Using the radio

2. Location of victim; demographics; situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Training is not nationally organized, only in a few corporations firefighters are trained to use AED

NR

No

Romania

(N = 19.530000)

Standard communication system; SMS; Pager

GPS; Address

1. Radio or phone report provide to the dispatch with physician on coordination

2. Location of victim; situational info

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR;

5. IV line;

6. Combi-tube

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit;

5. Valve mask;

6. IV;

7. Oxygen

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Every two years

Firefighters receive a regular report of their activity/Designated EMS staff discuss calls attended with firefighters

Medical supplies, all materials for interventions; support for training and some equipment.

Slovenia

(N = 2.084000)

Standard communication system

Location is not determined or tracked - they are activated if the ETA of the first responders is faster than the ETA of the EMS team - we expect them to be within the located district

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim

1. One person in the team has the AED/or AED at the station;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Informally, e.g. reports on the results

Yes, not from the EMS but from the local municipality

Sweden, Norbotten County

(N = 251,295)

Standard communication system; SMS

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim, demographics (victim)

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

NR

No

Sweden, Region Western Sweden

(N = 2.016000)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim, demographics (victim)

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Meeting between EMS and fire fighters differs depending on municipality/sub region

No

Sweden, Stockholm

(N = 965,232)

Standard communication system

GPS

1. The call is connected to the own dispatch centre whereby they confirm their response.

2. Location of victim & demographics (victim)

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

3. Perform CPR

1. AED;

2. Mobile phone/pager;

3. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Annually

Meeting a couple of times each year to discuss the collaboration

No

Switzerland, Ticino Canton)

(N = 353,709)

SMS or APP

Not determined

1. Confirming the response

2. Location of victim, Location of AED, demographics (victim) & situational information

1. Get an AED from the vehicle;

2. Connect a breathing mask;

3. Attach pads and follow the AED instructions;

4. Perform CPR;

5. Assistance to bystanders;

6. Integration in advanced resuscitation (with ambulance team)

1. AED;

2. Safety jacket;

3. Mobile phone/pager;

4. Rescuer kit

Trained for CPR including use of an AED; Bi-annually

Designated EMS staff discuss calls attended with firefighters/Firefighters participate in a debrief with EMS staff immediately after an OHCA/Firefighters receive feedback based on AED data from the operational and clinical manager. They are invited to the annual ceremony, where survivors meet first responders

AED and rescue kit donated from Fondazione Ticino Cuore

  1. If fire fighters are considered to be implemented in the total country, differences in density and characteristics, from city to city, may exist
  2. AED Automatic External Defibrillator, APP (mobile) application, BVM Bag Valve Mask, CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, EMS Emergency Medical Services, ETA Estimated Time of Arrival, GPS Global Positioning System, OHCA out of hospital cardiac arrest, NR Not reported; SMS, text message