Salisbury– Salisbury Fire Chief John Tull is excited to announce that the Salisbury Fire Department has been awarded Bronze Recognition from the American Heart Association’s The Mission: Lifeline. Launched in 2014, The Mission: Lifeline EMS recognition program seeks to celebrate the achievements of pre-hospital EMS providers as it relates to the treatment of STEMI patients. STEMI, which stands for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, is a very serious type of heart attack in which one of the heart’s major arteries becomes blocked. Salisbury Fire and EMS is one of eight Maryland departments to be recognized. They are one of only four on the Delmarva Peninsula to receive recognition as well. This achievement illustrates a commitment to providing guideline-based care while meeting high quality standards of performance.
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” commented 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 of an incoming heart attack patient. We applaud the Salisbury Fire Department for achieving this award in following evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
Proper pre-hospital and EMS care is critical when treating a patient suffering from one of these cardiac emergencies and often sets the course for that patient’s outcome. “The Salisbury Fire Department is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said Chris Truitt, Salisbury Fire Department’s EMS Captain. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care efforts through Mission: Lifeline.”
