From the Desk of the County Manager, July 10. 2026

Greetings Durham!
 

Medical emergencies happen without warning and can change lives in an instant. Many of us have seen firsthand what critical care looks like during a stroke or heart attack, where seconds and minutes determine outcomes and survival.

Here in Durham County, our Durham County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) recently received national recognition from the American Heart Association, a 100-year-old international organization dedicated to improving heart health and reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Specifically, Durham County EMS was a recipient of the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award, for its dedication to delivering swift, evidence‑driven treatment for individuals facing the most critical types of heart attacks and strokes, helping to preserve and protect lives.

Delivering Timely, Life‑Saving Intervention

Take a look at the statistics: According to the American Heart Association, each year, approximately 350,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States; of this number, EMS cares for more than 250,000 of these individuals. For individuals who go into cardiac arrest, there is a better chance of surviving if you are in Durham County compared to anywhere else in North Carolina. This is based on data provided by the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, a data management system that Durham County and other communities use to enter local data, generate their own reports, and prepare statistics, with the goal of sharing and developing promising practices that could improve emergency cardiac care. While the state and national average for cardiac patients surviving to hospital discharge averages 11% and 10%, respectively, patients treated by Durham County EMS see that average rise to 16.5%. Additional statistics are linked in the news release here.

Leading the Way in Critical Care

Hailed as the City of Medicine, Durham County EMS and the internationally renowned Duke University Health System are both factors in survival rates.

Dr. Anjni Joiner serves as System Medical Director for Durham County’s Office of Emergency Services and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. She said, “These numbers show that our EMS system provides high-quality care for individuals who experience cardiac arrest. It is important to remember that 9-1-1, First Responders, and EMS are only one piece of the entire system of care for cardiac arrest.”

Joiner also noted, “Even though our performance and survival rates were high this year, there is an opportunity for us to improve our rates of bystander CPR, which were lower than the national average. Bystander CPR is one of the most critical pieces in the continuum of care and rapid bystander CPR can double or even triple survival in patients experiencing cardiac arrest. Learning CPR is something simple that anyone in our community can do to help save a life.”

On behalf of Durham County, I extend sincere thanks and congratulations to the Durham County EMS staff and leadership, including Mark Lockhart, Director of the Durham County Office of Emergency Services, and Seth Komansky, Chief of Durham County Emergency Medical Services, for this significant recognition. Their commitment to saving, protecting, and improving the lives of our residents is vital to the well‑being of our community.

CPR Saves Lives

I’d encourage all Durham residents to obtain CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, as immediate CPR can triple the chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. As a reminder in recognizing cardiac arrest, Dr. Joiner states, “Cardiac arrest should be considered in individuals who suddenly collapse, are unresponsive, or are not breathing or gasping for breath. In these situations, bystanders should immediately call 9-1-1 for assistance.”

For more information on hands-only CPR offered by Durham County Public Health Department, please visit their website. CPR classes and certification are offered by the American Red Cross and Durham Technical Community College.  

Together, we can help save the lives of those impacted by cardiac arrest. Every action makes a difference.

Until next week,

Claudia Hager

Durham County Manager