Dane County Employees Learn New Life-Saving Skill

December 12, 2008
Joshua Wescott, 267-8823 or 669-5606
County Executive

Dozens of Dane County employees spent time Friday, December 12th learning how to perform a cutting-edge medical technique now being utilized by emergency responders across the county. Dane County “CCR Training Day” is part of a new effort to expand training and use of the simple life-saving procedure to the public.

CCR, or “Cardio Cerebral Resuscitation,” is a simpler process to learn and do than the old CPR or “Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation” and has scientifically proven to be more effective.

“From cutting edge medical techniques like CCR not done in other counties to the hundreds of highly trained and skilled volunteers and staff that stand at the ready to respond, Dane County citizens receive the best emergency cardiac care,” Falk said. “Lives have been saved and patient outcomes improved because of the county’s leadership and the bold vision of medical professionals like the late Dr. Darren Bean and our County Medical Director Dr. Paul Stiegler.”

Falk noted Dane County is among only a handful of places in the country where emergency medical practices like CCR and the county’s 12-lead cardiac heart monitoring program are used by responders. National Emergency Medical Service publications have recognized the county’s initiatives and cite the heart monitoring work done by ambulance crews in the field as reducing the amount of time it takes to get heart attacks patients into surgery.

Falk also announced Friday the county has received a generous grant from the Office of Rural Health in the amount of $29,000 to assist with public information efforts about CCR training.

“The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health is proud to fund the Rural Community Grant program, providing grants to over 40 rural health coalitions in the last five years. This year we are pleased to fund Dane County Emergency Management, in conjunction with Stoughton Hospital and EMS agencies throughout the County, and their Cardiocerebral Resuscitation Training project.” Kevin Jacobson, Rural Communities Project Manager.

"With the help of the Rural Health Grant to fund our newly formed "Dane County Call and Pump Initiative," I am extremely pleased and excited that we will be able to provide general public awareness and training for every citizen in our region,” Stiegler said. “This will guarantee saving more patients from sudden cardiac arrest."

In addition to Friday’s training of Dane County employees, EMS stations countywide will be hosting CCR training sessions for the public on Saturday, January 17th. Further information about exact times and locations will be released in the near future.


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