New Orleans EMS Prepares for Super Bowl XLVII and Mardi Gras

NEW ORLEANS & REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As preparations are finalized for Super Bowl XLVII and Mardi Gras, the City of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS), an award winning, internationally recognized EMS agency, and Physio-Control, the world’s leading provider of emergency medical response technologies, announced that NOEMS is implementing Physio-Control solutions as a part of its overall efforts to help ensure effective emergency medical response during the events and beyond. NOEMS has implemented the Physio-Control LIFENET^® System, a cloud-based data network providing EMS and hospital teams with tools to improve heart attack patient outcomes. In addition, NOEMS has put fifteen new state-of-the art LIFEPAK^® 15 monitor/defibrillators into service and has deployed the LUCAS^® 2 Chest Compression System system-wide to respond to the expected increase in 911 emergency calls during the back-to-back events.

“Delivering emergency services during an event the scale of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras combined is a monumental undertaking few EMS systems are capable of”

Super Bowl XLVII marks the tenth time New Orleans has hosted the National Football League's championship game, to be held on February 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Roughly 73,000 spectators are expected to attend the game in-person, however, hundreds of thousands of fans and revelers are expected to participate in Super Bowl and Mardi Gras events leading up to and following the game at venues that stretch from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, to the Superdome, the French Quarter and elsewhere. Mardi Gras festivities begin with the first parade on January 25 and run through Fat Tuesday on February 12.

“New Orleans EMS is excited to partner with Physio-Control to strengthen our comprehensive plan for improving cardiac care in our city. Implementing the LIFENET System and the LIFEPAK 15 and LUCAS 2 devices into our EMS system will enhance the care that we provide to our patients,” said Jeffrey M. Elder, MD, Director of EMS, NOEMS.

NOEMS has extensive experience providing EMS services for large scale events, providing medical care to the influx of spectators, athletes and media, as well as New Orleans’ existing population of more than 350,000. NOEMS began planning for the Super Bowl more than a year ago, sending staff to observe EMS operations at last year’s host city, Indianapolis. NOEMS subsequently implemented a robust plan, including adding staff to operate in the hospitality zone 24 hours/day and to respond to increased 911 call volumes. In addition, NOEMS is partnering with other regional EMS providers to deliver support during the events. All NOEMS resources will be deployed at strategic locations during the events, including:

A fully-equipped Mobile Surge Unit bus capable of transporting 18+ patients
Ambulances outfitted with advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) medications and equipment
EMS bike teams designated for high pedestrian traffic areas; equipped with ACLS medications and equipment
Rapid response sprint cars equipped with ACLS medications and equipment
Special response / ATV vehicles equipped with ACLS medications and equipment; used to extract injured or sick from areas inaccessible to full-size vehicles

NOEMS implemented Physio-Control solutions as part of a systems-based approach to improving emergency medical care. Together, the LIFENET System, LIFEPAK 15 and LUCAS 2 devices give EMS teams the most clinically innovative and operationally effective tools for treating a variety of life-threatening emergencies. NOEMS selected the LIFENET System for its ability to provide EMS and hospital care teams with tools for quick, reliable access to critical patient and device data, resulting in improved patient care, ongoing process improvement, and greater operational efficiency. NOEMS chose the 15 for its ability to escalate energy up to 360 joules for difficult-to-defibrillate patients, while LUCAS 2 was selected for its ability to provide high-quality, continuous chest compressions and help improve outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest victims.

“Delivering emergency services during an event the scale of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras combined is a monumental undertaking few EMS systems are capable of,” said Brian Webster, president and CEO, Physio-Control. “Physio-Control has a long-standing partnership with New Orleans EMS, one of the top EMS systems in the country. We are committed to support their emergency response efforts during these events and in the future.”

About New Orleans EMS

NOEMS mission is to provide the highest quality pre-hospital emergency care to individuals living in and visiting New Orleans. NOEMS serves the city by operating between 10 to 12 advanced life support units at peak hours. These ambulances are staffed with close to 150 full-time and part-time employees made up of EMT-paramedics, EMT-basics and a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician. In addition to routine emergency services, New Orleans EMS also has a special operations division that includes bike medics, tactical paramedics and medics trained in swift water rescue.

About Physio-Control

Physio-Control, Inc. is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The company operates in over 100 countries and is the world’s leading provider of professional emergency medical response solutions. To learn more visit www.physio-control.com or call 1-800-442-1142.