CyanoKits helps Cole County EMS save lives
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Cole County EMS have saved multiple lives of fire victims with the use of CyanoKits.
On Friday, Jefferson City Fire Department responded to an apartment fire and rescued a victim found on the second floor. The victim was found in life-threatening condition, with "strong suspicion of cyanide poisoning secondary to smoke inhalation," according to a press release from Jefferson City Fire.
According to the release, Cole County EMS used a CyanoKit and Advanced Life Support procedures to treat the victim. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries but was reported in stable condition as of Friday morning.
Cole County Chief of EMS Eric Hoy said one of the major byproducts of incomplete combustion of synthetic material is cyanide.
"Anytime anybody's, stuck inside a building with non-organic materials and those materials are burning, one of the main byproducts is actually cyanide," Hoy said.
Hoy explained that cyanide works in the human body by binding to our hemoglobin, which carries our oxygen and doesn't allow that oxygen to bind. Meaning that patients are suffocating due to oxygen not being carried through the bloodstream.
With the CyanoKit, it will unbind the the cyanide from the red blood cells allowing oxygen to flow, restoring function to the body.
Hoy said Cole County EMS has been using CyanoKits for about two years and the fire on Friday was the second time it has been used.
"It's been about a year and a half ago now that we had our first deployment, which resulted in a successful resuscitation of of a victim who suffered from smoke inhalation, and that victim was able to recover with no noted deficits," Hoy said. "This is the second time that we've deployed this device. And we were able to resuscitate the patient, and he's in stable condition at this time."
CyanoKits are prescription only and can only be carried by a public safety agent, making them unavailable for private consumer use. Each CyanoKit cost about $1,100, Hoy said.
