The Detroit Fire Department (DFD) announced at the end of the 10th annual Save MIHeart Conference that in collaboration with the Detroit Medical Center Hospitals, it has national recognition for dramatic improvements in cardiac arrest survival outcomes.
The announcement coincides with new data from the 2024 CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) Annual Report, which positions Detroit as one of the most improved cities in the nation when it comes to saving lives from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
The conference, which brought together EMS providers, physicians, community health advocates and emergency response leaders from across Michigan, underscored Detroit’s emergence as a leader in emergency care and resuscitation science.
Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms said: “The fact that we’re hosting this event a decade after it started — and at a moment when Detroit is being recognized for turning the tide on cardiac arrest survival — is both symbolic and inspiring.
“We’re no longer just part of the conversation. We’re helping lead it.
“This isn’t just about what the Fire Department can do, it’s about what our entire city can do together. Every second counts in cardiac arrest, and we’re empowering Detroiters to make a difference before we even arrive.”
Detroit’s announcement is anchored in data. The CARES registry tracks critical outcomes in cardiac arrest cases, and one of its most meaningful benchmarks is the Utstein Survival Record: a standard measurement of how often communities save people whose cardiac arrest was witnessed by a bystander and involved a shockable rhythm.
In 2015, Detroit Utstein’s survival rate was just 8.2%- in 2024 that number tripled to 25.0%. Among patients who received bystander CPR or AED use, survival reached 39.5%.
Detroit EMS Medical Director Dr. Robert Dunne said: “CARES data has been our roadmap. It gave us the evidence to demand more, and the accountability to deliver results.
“Detroit went from the bottom of the chart to a city now studied for best practices. This is the power of focused, measurable change.”
Additional highlights from Detroit’s 2024 cardiac arrest response data include an overall survival rate from non-traumatic being at 8.1%, survival rate from bystander-witnessed arrests being 12.5% and bystander CPR performance growing from 13% in 2015 to 36% in 20234.
Detroit’s improvement reflects years of strategic investment in training, equipment and public outreach. These efforts include training firefighters as medical first responders, deploying AEDs citywide, reopening Detroit’s paramedic training program and strengthening partnerships with hospitals, dispatch centers and community organizations.
The city’s progress was formally recognized with the HEARTSafe Community designation in 2024, making Detroit the largest municipality in the country to earn this honor.
The Detroit Fire Department announced at the Save MIHeart Conference that it has been awarded national recognition for its cardiac arrest survival outcomes.
