TROPHY CLUB, TX (August 23, 2022) - The Trophy Club Fire Department has received the 2022 Mission: Lifeline® EMS – Gold Plus Level Recognition Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) for superior response efforts, specifically in cardiac care.
The AHA developed the Mission: Lifeline Recognition Program to recognize emergency service organizations that meet the guidelines from the AHA and the American College of Cardiology in the pre-hospital care of patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) – the deadliest form of a heart attack.
“Achieving this recognition is truly a team effort,” Trophy Club Fire Chief Jason Wise said. “This award highlights the teams' efforts in following evidence-based guidelines for treating individuals who have severe heart attacks.”
The Gold Plus award is built on the maintenance of previous years’ successes and represents the care delivered in Trophy Club. The care includes documented measurements of patients with non-traumatic chest pain, patients transported with pre-hospital contact, and patients needing treatment for severe heart attacks. Statistically, one of TCFD’s accomplishments is EMS' ability to regain and maintain a pulse—for a minimum of 20 minutes—on more than 75 percent of the adult cardiac arrest patients on whom CPR is performed.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience a STEMI, or ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, a heart attack caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, restoring blood flow as quickly as possible is critical, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication.
Unfortunately, a significant number don’t receive this prompt treatment. Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency responders for their efforts in improving STEMI 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 provide access to 12-lead ECG machines (devices that measure the electrical activity of the heartbeat and help medical personnel determine if a heart attack has occurred) and follow protocols derived from American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. The correct tools and training allow EMS providers to rapidly identify the STEMI, promptly notify the medical center, and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.
By bringing together hospitals, EMS agencies, and others from across the community to coordinate and streamline protocols, time and lives can be saved. These awards recognize the efforts of EMS teams and hospitals across the nation for their collaboration in systems of care and meeting Mission: Lifeline treatment guidelines. For more information on the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline program, visit heart.org.
“The Trophy Club Fire Department is dedicated to making our organization among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that by implementing processes for improving systems of care to improve the quality of care for all patients,” said Wade Carroll, Town Manager. “We are pleased the TCFD team has been recognized for their dedication and achievements.”
Quality patient
care begins with paramedics that are well educated and trained; however, great medical direction and oversight from the medical control physicians are crucial to developing treatment protocols and standards of care. The Trophy Club Fire Department partners with the B.E.S.T. EMS medical control group out of Baylor Scott and White in Grapevine.
“Over the last several years, the Trophy Club Fire Department has improved its coverage, response times, and care for Trophy Club residents immensely. My thanks to all of the volunteers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, staff, and the department leadership for making this happen, and congratulations on this worthy recognition,” said Mayor Alicia Fleury.
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