4B
Date: July 7, 2026
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee
From: David Dumais, Fire Chief
By: Adam Brown, Assistant Fire Chief | [email protected] Subject: Fire -- Accept and File the Torrance Fire Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force - The Torrance Plan. Expenditure: None
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Fire Chief that the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee:
1. Accept and file the Torrance Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force – The Torrance Plan; and
2. Concur with the Fire Chief and forward a recommendation to the City Council to Accept and File the Torrance Fire Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force – The Torrance Plan, and Accept and File the meeting minutes from the July 7, 2026 Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee at a future City Council meeting.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
As part of a countywide effort to improve Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) survival and achieve the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2030 goals, the Los Angeles County EMS Agency established a Cardiac Arrest Task Force (CATF) to coordinate improvement efforts among fire departments, hospitals, and community partners.
Participating Fire Departments were directed to develop local improvement plans for submission to the Los Angeles County EMS Agency by January 1, 2027.
In response, the Torrance Fire Department developed Cardiac Arrest Task Force - The Torrance Plan. The plan connects existing City investments, local cardiac arrest performance data, stakeholder feedback, community preparedness programs, dispatch improvements, EMS system resilience, and future enhancements into one measurable strategy.
1 Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee
July 7, 2026
Cardiac Arrest Task Force – The Torrance Plan outlines:
The American Heart Association’s 2030 goals
Torrance Fire Department 2024 performance metrics
External Stakeholder survey
Existing programs and initiatives
Future enhancements
If the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee decides to accept and file the presented Torrance Fire Department Fire - Accept and File the Torrance Fire Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force – The Torrance Plan, the Fire Chief recommends that the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee recommend to City Council to also Accept and File the presented Torrance Fire Department Fire - Accept and File the Torrance Fire Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force – The Torrance Plan, in addition to Accepting and Filing the Meeting Minutes from the July 7, 2026 Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee at a future City Council meeting.
ATTACHMENT
1. Torrance Fire Department Cardiac Arrest Task Force - The Torrance Plan 2 Prepared by the Torrance Fire Department EMS Division
ATTACHMENT 1
3 CARDIAC ARREST TASK FORCE
|
THE TORRANCE PLAN
Torrance Fire Department |
EMS Division
Page
2 Purpose and Background
The Torrance Fire Department EMS Division developed the local Project 2030 Cardiac Arrest Improvement Plan to improve survival from out
-
of
-
hospital cardiac arrest in Torrance. The plan focuses on the first minutes of a cardiac arrest, when survival depends
on early recognition, immediate bystander CPR, rapid AED access, effective pre -
arrival instructions, and a coordinated emergency medical response.
The American Heart Association established 2030 goals for out -
of
-
hospital cardiac arrest. In response, the Los
Angeles County EMS Agency created a Cardiac Arrest Task Force to align efforts among fire departments, hospitals, and the community. Local fire d
epartments were directed to develop plans that strengthen community safety and resilience. Plans are due to the Los Angeles County EMS Agency no later than January 1, 2027.
The Torrance plan connects existing City investments, 2024 CARES performance data, stakeholder feedback, community preparedness programs, dispatch improvement, EMS system resilience, and future enhancements into one measurable strategy.
CARES Performance Report
The Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, CARES, provides each participating fire department with a performance report that compares key benchmarks and identifies opportunities for improvement. Torrance Fire Department 2024 results were compared wit
h the American Heart Association 2030 goals.
Areas of Strength
Torrance is within 0.8 percentage points of the adult
bystander CPR goal and exceeds the public
-
setting
neurologically intact survival goal by 4.1 percentage
points.
Primary Improvement Priorities
Increase AED application before EMS arrival in public
settings and improve neurologically intact survival for arrests occurring at home or in residential settings.
4 CARDIAC ARREST TASK FORCE
|
THE TORRANCE PLAN
Torrance Fire Department |
EMS Division
Page
3 Community Stakeholder Survey
The Torrance Fire Department identified and emailed a survey to 118 community stakeholders to better understand local cardiac arrest readiness, community priorities, and potential barriers to improving bystander CPR and AED use. Stakeholders included busin
esses, nonprofit organizations, civic and community groups, faith -
based
organizations, healthcare and fitness representatives, and residents.
Sixteen stakeholders responded to the survey. Although the response rate was limited, the information received provided valuable insight into community needs, challenges, and opportunities. The survey addressed six general areas:
CPR and AED Preparedness
Current AED availability,
maintenance, written plans, and
training levels.
Barriers and Participation
Cost, scheduling, liability, confidence,
awareness, and willingness to act.
Access and Equity
Settings and communities with
limited training or AED access.
Priorities and Opportunities
Locations and interventions that can
produce near
-
term improvement.
Resources and Commitment
Actions organizations may support and
the resources they need.
Outreach and Engagement
Preferred communication methods,
languages, and working
-
group
interest.
The survey responses helped guide the priorities, decisions, and actions included in this plan, including community training, AED access and visibility, public education, stakeholder partnerships, and outreach efforts. The survey remains available to gathe
r additional feedback as the plan is implemented, evaluated, and updated.
Actions Taken
The City of Torrance has already implemented multiple programs
and initiatives
that support the chain of
survival and improve community preparedness for out
-
of
-
hospital cardiac arrest.
Initiative
Current City of Torrance Action
Public Access
Defibrillators, PAD
Forty
-
six AEDs have been installed in key City buildings based on building use, occupancy, and layout. The devices are connected by Wi
-
Fi to a readiness dashboard,
and each site received a quick kit containing supporting equipment for responders.
PulsePoint Respond and
AED
PulsePoint Respond provides a public
-
facing view of TFD incidents and can alert trained
users to a nearby suspected cardiac arrest. PulsePoint AED provides an AED registry with site photographs and location information that can help users and dispatchers i
dentify the closest device.
Employee CPR and AED
Training
More than 100 City employees have completed CPR and AED certification. More than 100 additional employees who are not CPR certified have received awareness training so they can assist when a public access AED is activated.
Community Training and
CERT
TFD offers FEMA
-
approved Community Emergency Response Team courses that include disaster medical operations, triage and first aid, fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster preparedness.
5 CARDIAC ARREST TASK FORCE
|
THE TORRANCE PLAN
Torrance Fire Department |
EMS Division
Page
4 Initiative
Current City of Torrance Action
Safer City Initiative
TFD, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, and the Torrance Unified School District partner to improve cardiac readiness. All ninth -
grade students at
Torrance’s five high schools receive CPR training as part of the health curriculum, w ith
hospital nurses and on
-
duty TFD firefighters providing instruction twice each year.
Pre
-
Arrival Instructions and
Tiered Dispatch
Emergency medical dispatchers are trained to recognize cardiac arrest, provide CPR instructions, and identify a nearby AED. Tiered Dispatch assigns resources based on the severity, priority, and complexity of the 9
-
1 -
1 call, directing lower
-
acuity calls to
BLS
resources while preserving paramedic resources for more serious emergencies.
Sidewalk CPR and
Community Outreach
Sidewalk CPR events are scheduled so every Council District has access to hands -
only
CPR training. TFD also provides hands
-
only CPR demonstrations at most community
events throughout the year.
SAVE Challenge Coins
The Cardiac Arrest Save Recognition Program acknowledges dispatchers, bystanders and citizen responders, law enforcement, EMS crews, and hospital teams. Torrance SAVEs Lives events combine CPR training, AED demonstrations, survivor reunions, and recognitio
n of citizen responders.
Innovative EMS
Technologies
TFD uses and evaluates clinical and operational tools that support cardiac arrest care, including advanced airway equipment, supraglottic airways and video laryngoscopy, mechanical CPR devices, AEDs, the Mobile Stroke Unit, electronic patient care reportin g,
and the EXG trial.
Future Enhancements
Based on CARES performance gaps, stakeholder feedback, and the City’s ongoing
programs,
the
TFD plans to
implement or strengthen the following community preparedness initiatives.
Safer City Initiative
The high school CPR program will provide additional training opportunities and expand safety education beyond CPR. Planned topics include choking response, AED awareness, Stop the Bleed, Leave Behind Naloxone, e
-
bike
safety, firework injuries, the 9
-
8 -
8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Text
-
to
-
911, and EpiPen awareness.
Public Access Defibrillators
Additional locations will be evaluated to expand AED availability. A potential Public Access Defibrillator Ambassador Program would engage non
-
City buildings and organizations in placing, maintaining, registering, and promoting AEDs. TFD is also exploring
the addition of Stop the Bleed supplies and Leave Behind Naloxone to PAD quick kits where appropriate.
Employee CPR and AED Training
To increase participation, TFD will develop asynchronous video lessons followed by in -
person hands
-
on training.
The practical session will reinforce CPR, AED operation, any newly added equipment, and, when appropriate, simulated emergency scenarios.
Sidewalk CPR and Community Outreach
Future Sidewalk CPR locations will be selected using cardiac arrest incident data, access considerations, and geographic coverage. Public information campaigns will continue promoting PulsePoint Respond and PulsePoint AED. TFD also plans to create a public
-
facing dashboard that provides local OHCA performance information, AED resources, training opportunities, and educational materials.
6 CARDIAC ARREST TASK FORCE
|
THE TORRANCE PLAN
Torrance Fire Department |
EMS Division
Page
5 Unit Hour Utilization Tracking
Resource availability is an important part of ensuring that high -
acuity patients reach definitive care quickly. TFD will track Unit Hour Utilization and the operational effects of Tiered Dispatch to evaluate resource efficiency, readiness, and system resil
ience.
Pre
-
Arrival Instructions
TFD will continue using dispatch quality
-
improvement tools, including the ProQA CPR Compression Tracker and CPR reporting, to review cardiac arrest recognition, the timing of CPR instructions, breathing assessment, AED inquiry, and adherence to dispatcher
-
assisted CPR best practices.
EMS Documentation
Electronic patient care documentation will be strengthened to support state and agency compliance, NEMSIS 3.5 data requirements, automated exports, case review, and accurate measurement of cardiac arrest care and outcomes.
Innovative EMS Technologies
TFD will continue evaluating clinical technologies and operational tools that improve resuscitation quality, provider performance, data collection, and continuity of care.
Implementation and Performance Measurement
Progress should be reviewed regularly and reported in a format that allows City leadership, stakeholders, and the public to understand whether community readiness and patient outcomes are improving. The following measures directly reflect the presentation
priorities and the metrics most frequently requested by survey respondents.
Initiative
Planned Enhancement
Primary Measures
Overall outcomes
Track progress toward the AHA 2030 benchmarks and explain significant changes.
Bystander CPR, public AED
use before EMS arrival, survival
to discharge, neurologically
intact survival.
PAD and PulsePoint
Expand, register, verify, map, maintain, and promote AEDs across City and partner locations.
AEDs installed and verified,
sites with trained staff, public
AED application, PulsePoint
participation.
Employee readiness
Use hybrid learning and hands
-
on skills to expand City employee
readiness.
Employees trained, facilities
covered, refresher completion,
scenario participation.
Community outreach
Use incident data and access needs to guide Sidewalk CPR and public education.
Events, participants, Council
District coverage, partner
organizations, follow
-
up training
requests.
Safer City Initiative
Expand high school and community safety education while preserving CPR as a core topic.
Students reached, classes
delivered, topics completed,
schools participating.
Pre
-
arrival instructions
Use dispatch call review and CPR reporting to improve recognition and coaching.
Time to recognition, time to
CPR instruction, AED inquiry,
quality
-
review compliance.
7 CARDIAC ARREST TASK FORCE
|
THE TORRANCE PLAN
Torrance Fire Department |
EMS Division
Page
6 Initiative
Planned Enhancement
Primary Measures
System resilience
Monitor UHU and Tiered Dispatch effects on unit availability and high
-
acuity response.
UHU by unit type, transport
availability, response
performance, operational
trends.
EMS documentation
Improve ePCR completeness, compliance, and usable cardiac arrest data.
NEMSIS compliance,
documentation completeness,
case
-
review availability,
automated data exports.
Public Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement
A public
-
facing dashboard and periodic stakeholder updates should emphasize the measures the community identified as most meaningful, including bystander CPR, public AED application, CPR training completions, response performance, community engagement, AED
placement, survival to discharge, neurologically intact survival, and geographic access. Email should remain the primary method for direct stakeholder updates, supported by social media, in
-
person meetings, and community events.
Conclusion
Torrance has made meaningful investments in cardiac arrest readiness through public access AEDs, PulsePoint, employee training, youth education, Sidewalk CPR, dispatch improvement, community training, recognition programs, and innovative EMS technologies.
The Project 2030 plan organizes these efforts around the City’s current performance gaps and establishes clear priorities for continued improvement.
The central goal is to strengthen the full chain of survival, from the resident, employee, student, or bystander who first recognizes the emergency, to the dispatcher who provides instructions, to TFD crews who deliver resuscitation, and to the hospital te
ams who continue post
-
arrest care. By using local data, expanding partnerships, increasing AED access, improving CPR readiness, strengthening documentation, and reporting progress, Torrance can sustain a measurable cardiac arrest improvement program throug
h 2030 and beyond.
8