Coral Springs cardiac arrest patients survive at twice national average, data shows

The Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department is among the top performing agencies in the country as far as outcomes for cardiac arrest patients go, the city shared.

Last year, the department achieved a 23.6% survival-to-discharge rate, which refers to patients who survived hospitalization and were discharged. The rate is more than double the national average of 10.5%, and 10 points higher than Florida’s average of 13.1%, according to recent data.

Crews attempted 72 resuscitations in 2025. Nationally, only about 25% of patients survive long enough to be admitted to a hospital.

“These results reflect the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department’s commitment to excellence through continuous training, advanced lifesaving equipment, and the dedication of our firefighter-paramedics, medical directors, police officers, and dispatchers,” Fire Chief John Whalen said in a news release May 21.

The national data comes from the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, or CARES, which tracks outcomes for cardiac arrest patients whose hearts stop outside of a hospital.

The department also shared that in nearly 46% of cases, bystanders performed CPR, slightly above the state and national average. And since the department installed defibrillators at 10 locations across the city in 2024, bystanders have used them in two cases.

“From the moment a 911 call is received to the delivery of critical care in the field, every second matters during a cardiac emergency,” Whalen said. “Our ongoing investment in personnel, technology and preparedness is saving lives and strengthening outcomes for the communities we proudly serve.”