USC-Arcadia Hospital’s leadership and stroke teams and Monrovia first responders.
USC Arcadia Hospital recently presented certificates of appreciation to Monrovia Fire Station #101, recognizing the first responders’ exceptional stroke symptom recognition skills and swift patient transport. The Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency also named the station the county’s top first responder for stroke treatment times in 2025.
One example of this collaborative stroke care occurred in January 2025, when a 60-year-old patient called 911. The Monrovia Fire Station’s first responders dispatched to the patient’s home immediately recognized that the patient had experienced a large vessel occlusion, which completely blocks blood flow from a major artery to the brain and often results in disability or death when not treated quickly.
Due to the severity of the stroke, the first responders knew the patient needed transport to the closest Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC), USC-Arcadia Hospital.
The response team alerted the hospital that the patient was en route, giving the clinical team time to prepare. The hospital stroke team performed a CT scan to confirm a large-vessel blockage, prepared for a clot removal procedure and started the surgery, all within 91 minutes. An approximate 90-minute window from the identification of a stroke to surgical intervention is considered ideal to prevent brain cell loss.
Due to the quick action of the Monrovia Fire Station first responders and the stroke team, the patient had successful surgery and went home without any neurological damage for a full recovery.
Photo courtesy of Keck Medicine of USC.
- Brad Haugaard
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