PGFD receives American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Plus Recognition Award

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

MEBrady@co.pg.md.us     @PGFDPIO

Prince Georges Fire/EMS Department receives American Heart Association’s

Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Plus Recognition Award

PRINCE GEORGES MD, June, 2018 —The Prince Georges Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Silver Plus 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 deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. 

The Mission: Lifeline initiative provides tools, training and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency medical services for their efforts in improving systems of care to rapidly identify suspected heart attack patients, promptly notify the medical center and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.

“The Prince Georges Fire/EMS Department is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack and all patients that request our assistance,” said Fire Chief Benjamin M. Barksdale. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care efforts through Mission: Lifeline.” 

“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient. We applaud our providers for achieving this award in following evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.” 

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About The Prince Georges County Fire/EMS Department: 

The Prince Georges County Fire/EMS Department is the busiest and largest combination, career and volunteer, Fire/EMS Departments in the Country.  950 career Firefighter/Medics and civilians in addition to 1,200 volunteers protect 500 square miles and nearly 1 million residents through a system of 45 stations that provide a variety of fire, EMS, hazmat and technical services.  The Department responds to about 145,000 incidents per year.

About Mission: Lifeline 

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for acute coronary syndrome patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.