Telegraph Staff Writer
STARKE—Bradford County Fire Rescue said it has agreed with UF Health to allow the health system’s mobile stroke treatment unit to respond to calls in Bradford County.
Bradford Fire Chief Ben Carter said he and Chief Dylan Rodgers visited UF Health to tour the unit and meet with officials. He added that during the visit, the unit was dispatched to a call in Gainesville, and he and Rodgers accompanied the crew on the call.
Carter said the ambulance has a CT scanner to help personnel diagnose and treat strokes in the field.
“If they suspect a stroke,” he said, “they can do a quick scan and see if it is an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke. And then if it’s an ischemic stroke, which is a blockage, they can go ahead and start treatment for that.”
The unit also stocks drugs that dissolve blood clots and increase blood flow to the area of the brain affected by a stroke.
You’re losing neurons and brain cells every second
Carter said that time is critical in stroke cases.
“You’re losing neurons and brain cells every second with a stroke, and so those seconds truly do matter.
He said UF Health currently partners only with Alachua County Fire Rescue with the unit. Bradford is the first rural county UF is partnering with.
He said that the unit will assist Bradford Fire Rescue in the same way UF’s ShandsCair helicopters respond to calls in the county.
“Just like we have designated landing zones for the helicopters,” he said, “we will set up rendezvous points with the mobile stroke team.”
When first responders suspect a stroke, the Bradford and UF units will immediately proceed to the rendezvous point.
“We’re not going to sit on scene,” Carter explained. “We’re going to load the patient up, and we’re going to start to Gainesville, and then we’re going to rendezvous with them on the way.”
Carter said that once the two units meet, the stroke unit nurse will perform a stroke assessment on the patient and, if appropriate, begin treatment.
Carter also said that once in the stroke unit, the patient bypasses many onboarding procedures in the emergency department, further speeding up treatment.
“There are a lot of bottlenecks in the ER because of the volume of patients that they’re seeing and the busyness of the physicians and everything there,” he said.
Carter said that now a neurological physician sometimes rides along in the mobile stroke unit.
“But even if she’s not actively riding on the truck, she’s available via telemedicine,” Carter added. “They’ve got cameras in the back of the truck, and they can directly have the physician jump onto those cameras and see the patient in a live feed and see their condition, whether they’re improving or deteriorating. I mean, it’s got basically a neurologist in the back of the truck with you.” If not physically, then virtually.”
Carter said that since the unit is staffed and dispatched by Alachua County Fire Rescue, Bradford’s current mutual aid agreement with Alachua clears the way for the team to be dispatched north of the Santa Fe River.
Carter added that he and Rodgers are now working out operating procedures and training to integrate the unit into Bradford’s protocols.
Carter said the only limitation of the program now is that the unit is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. He added that UF officials are seeking to expand the unit’s availability.
UF Health said there are only 20 mobile stroke treatment units in the U.S. The system added that it plans to stand up additional units in The Villages, Jacksonville and Palm Beach County.
Signs of stroke: FAST
UF Health said a stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted or reduced.
“It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment,” the hospital said. “Brain cells begin dying within minutes of a stroke because blood and nutrients to the brain stop. Early action and rapid treatment can reduce brain damage and other permanent complications.”
The hospital said signs and symptoms may come and go or possibly disappear altogether. However, if the patient or family member sees any signs of stroke, identified by the acronym F.A.S.T., they should immediately call 911.
—Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
—Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Or is one arm unable to rise?
—Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is his or her speech slurred or strange?
—Time. If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately.
