A new medicine is being used by local firefighters to help save victims of smoke inhalation during structure fires. Cyanokit is an antidote for cyanide poisoning.Â
We always hear it's the smoke that generally kills victims of house fires, but firefighters say it's the toxic material breathed in that can be the real danger. Plastics and polymers in a home influences combustion, fire behavior, and the toxicity of the smoke.
"Often times people who have gone into cardiac arrest already succumbed to toxic smoke inhalation. It's normally a negative outcome. A lot of that is because we're treating them with conventional methods to treat the cardiac arrest, but we're not correcting the underlying problem," said Captain Randall Gates, with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
Cyanide poisoning is life-threatening and can cause severe effects to the nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Lower concentrations of cyanide can result in headache, confusion, nausea, and vomiting followed in some cases by seizure, coma and death.
Gates adds that this new kit could mean the difference between life or death for people inside burning buildings.Â
The antidote kits were funded by a grant from the region's TRIAD Hazmat Response team to combat cyanide poisoning. First responders with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, the Reno Fire Department and the Sparks Fire Department all received the Cyanokits.Â
The medicine comes in a powder form and it has to be mixed with a solution before it can be administered through an IV over 15 minutes. The antidote enters the bloodstream and converts the poison to B-12, pulling out the toxins.
It's fairly new to many fire stations across the country, not to mention expensive. The medicine alone costs $800 per dosage, but firefighters say it's worth it to save a life.Â
"There are statistics across the country where firefighters have gone into cardiac arrest in structure fires, children, adults that are just regular citizens that have been saved and have full recovery with no deficits, having utilized one of these kits," said Gates.Â
The regional HAZMAT Response Team is trained to give treatment with these kits. So far the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District has them stashed away in all of their engines.Â
