By Kimberly Cortez
The Columbian
CLARK COUNTY, Wash. — Cardiac arrest survival in Clark County continues to outpace state and national rates, according to an annual report on the clinical performance of the county’s emergency medical services system.
Last year, the efforts of Clark County first responders and hospitals saved the lives of 53 people whose hearts had stopped.
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The 2025 Clark County EMS report, released June 12, includes survival rates across the county, as well as statistics on safe response and transportation, identification of heart attacks and strokes, treatment for life-threatening low blood sugar and pain reduction for injured patients.
In Clark County, the survival rate for cardiac arrest is about 16 percent, compared with 14.1 percent in Washington and 10.5 percent nationwide. The survival rate for patients who can be defibrillated is 54 percent in Clark County, 43 percent statewide and 33 percent across the country, according to the annual report.
The county has a total of 359 paramedics and 525 emergency medical technicians, and 198 of those are also credentialed to perform IV therapy, said Chris Hamper, program manager for Clark County EMS.
Clark County EMS Medical Director Marlow Macht said dispatchers, fire agencies, ambulance services and hospitals are committed to providing high-quality care even as demand goes up.
Last year, EMS responded to about 71,000 calls, up 9 percent from 2024’s 65,000 calls, according to the report.
“I feel a sense of gratitude,” Macht said. “We provide direction, but nothing happens without the hard work day in and day out of the paramedics and EMTs that take care of patients in this county. When I reflect on it, I’m just deeply grateful that I live in a community where I can feel confident that I can call 911 and get compassionate, capable care.”
In 2025, the primary focus of the Clark County EMS system was improving safety during high-risk airway procedures. A patient experiencing heart failure or severe difficulty breathing may not survive without an intubation procedure, Macht said.
Through targeted efforts, Clark County EMS increased the rate of safe airway management from 12 percent to 49 percent. For patients, this means fewer complications during life-threatening emergencies. The improvement was notable enough to be featured as a case study in a national report.
Macht attributes the success to ongoing evaluation that led to continuous incremental improvements in the high-risk airway procedures process.
Clark County EMS also sought to improve the number of patients transported without lights and sirens. Transportation with lights and sirens more than doubles the risk of a crash, the report said.
In 2025, 87 percent of Clark County EMS transports were completed without lights and sirens, compared with the national average of 61 percent. Similarly, 23 percent of 911 responses were completed without lights and sirens in Clark County, compared with 17 percent nationally, according to the report.
Macht said looking ahead at future priorities, Clark County EMS hopes to focus on enhancing safety with high-risk medications, strengthening transparent systemwide performance reporting and expanding appropriate care pathways.
“I feel really humbled to think of the 53 people alive today that would be dead in 2025 without this system,” Macht said.
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