SERVICES HONORED FOR SAVING LIVES
Albuquerque Fire Department, associated services and personnel win American Heart Association’s 2017 Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Award for quality improvements in treating severe heart attacks.
The American Heart Association has honored the Albuquerque Fire Department and associated services and personnel with its 2017 Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Award for quality improvements in treating patients who experience severe heart attacks.
“This award is a testament to the committed professionals of Albuquerque Ambulance Service, Albuquerque Fire Department, and Bernalillo County Fire Department and their passion to save lives,” said interim Fire Chief Gil Santistevan in a statement.
This program is focused on STEMI, or ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction. More than 250,000 people every year experience this type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment, according to a news release.
Blood flow must be restored as quickly as possible, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication to prevent death.
Agencies that receive this award have demonstrated at least 75 percent compliance for each required achievement measure for the entire year, as well as treating at least eight STEMI patients for the year.
This is about “the coordination of EMS agencies and hospital teams to ensure that current, guideline-based care is delivered to heart attack victims as quickly as possible,” Santistevan said. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in pre- hospital emergency medical care.”
EMS providers use 12-lead ECG machines to quickly determine if a heart attack has occurred, to rapidly identify the STEMI event and promptly notify the hospital to trigger an early response from the awaiting personnel.
For more information, visit heart.org/missionlifeline and heart.org/quality.