FP Fire Department Receives American Heart Association Award

The Fairview Park Fire Department has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Bronze Award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most deadly type of heart attack. A STEMI is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

Unfortunately, a significant number of STEMI patients don’t receive this prompt reperfusion therapy, which is critical in restoring blood flow. Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate these patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency medical services for their efforts in improving systems of care and improving the quality of life for these patients.

Emergency Medical System providers are vital to the success of Mission: Lifeline. EMS agencies perform 12-lead ECGs which measure the electrical activity of the heart to help determine if a heart attack has occurred. They also follow protocols derived from American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. With the correct tools,  training, and practices, EMS providers can rapidly identify suspected heart attack patients, promptly notify the medical center, and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.

The mission of the Fairview Park Fire Department is to provide service excellence in emergency medical care. The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps us accomplish that by implementing processes for improving our services with the goal of improving the quality of care for all acute coronary syndrome patients.