Every forty seconds someone in the United States suffers a stroke. In Parma, firefighters respond to stroke victims often. " We go on roughly 15,000 runs a year. Almost a thousand calls are related to stroke or stroke like symptoms," said Parma Fire Chief Michael Lasky.
That's why the Parma Fire Department in conjunction with University Hospitals Systems Parma Medical Center has been chosen for a pilot program to train every paramedic in the department with lifesaving skills to treat stroke patients and to use technology to save valuable time.
"I guarantee it will save lives," said Dr Sheldon Rose, Emergency Department Chairman at Parma Medical Center. "Essentially, we're taking what we do in the ER and putting it in the field," added Rose.
The paramedics will be using IPads to let doctors see the patient before the patient even arrives at the hospital, saving valuable time. "It's a lifesaving tool. We save time for a lot of stroke victims," said Lt Ricky Fetter with the Parma Fire Department.
