Montgomery
County Fire and Rescue Service received the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS award at the 25th Annual
Congressional Fire and Emergency Services dinner this week. The award is
designed to recognize best practices and highlight innovations in the delivery
of emergency medical services.
Established in 1989, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute that works with members of Congress in promoting fire and life safety issues. Working with other national fire service organizations, the Institute focuses its attention on issues that benefit all first responders. Members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the largest caucus in Congress, look to CFSI for guidance and information to enhance their level of understanding about the challenges and needs of the nation’s fire andEMS
communities. Each year, CFSI and the MedicAlert Foundation honor and recognize
departments that have made outstanding contributions.
Annually, 75 percent of all Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service emergency calls areEMS -related and the
demand for emergency medical services can quickly challenge available
resources. Since 2009, the department has developed and implemented several
critical programs that demonstrate the department’s commitment to saving lives
in the community. With strong evidence nationally that pre-hospital care has a
profound impact on survival, the department was one of the first in the state
to implement and deploy paramedic-staffed engine companies, which facilitates
faster access, improved pre-hospital care and enhanced patient care during an
emergency.
When every second counts, receiving the right medical care in minutes can mean the difference between life and death. The window of time from when a patient starts experiencing heart attack symptoms to the moment the patient receives treatment is a critically important period. In 2010, the department established the Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC ) program which allows paramedics to transmit critical data directly and securely from
remote locations to area hospitals using sophisticated technology and
equipment. The new technology accelerates the diagnosis process while shaving
off critical time that ultimately can make a difference in patient outcome and
survival.
While hospitals and first responders have many protocols in place to ensure that cardiac patients are diagnosed and treated quickly, providing this early diagnosis “en route” ensures that the hospital team will be mobilized and standing by to intervene with angioplasty, as needed, so that blocked heart vessels can be opened, blood flow to the heart restored and heart muscle (and lives) saved. The time period from diagnosis to the opening of the vessels is known as “door to balloon” or D2B time. According to guidelines by the American Heart Association, optimal D2B time is 90 minutes or less.
“This award reflects our ongoing investment in and dedication to excellence in our Fire and Rescue Service,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “I am very proud of the hard work of each and every member of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service who has placed us in a position to be nationally recognized for this prestigious award.”
Established in 1989, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute that works with members of Congress in promoting fire and life safety issues. Working with other national fire service organizations, the Institute focuses its attention on issues that benefit all first responders. Members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the largest caucus in Congress, look to CFSI for guidance and information to enhance their level of understanding about the challenges and needs of the nation’s fire and
Annually, 75 percent of all Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service emergency calls are
When every second counts, receiving the right medical care in minutes can mean the difference between life and death. The window of time from when a patient starts experiencing heart attack symptoms to the moment the patient receives treatment is a critically important period. In 2010, the department established the Emergency Cardiac Care (
While hospitals and first responders have many protocols in place to ensure that cardiac patients are diagnosed and treated quickly, providing this early diagnosis “en route” ensures that the hospital team will be mobilized and standing by to intervene with angioplasty, as needed, so that blocked heart vessels can be opened, blood flow to the heart restored and heart muscle (and lives) saved. The time period from diagnosis to the opening of the vessels is known as “door to balloon” or D2B time. According to guidelines by the American Heart Association, optimal D2B time is 90 minutes or less.
“This award reflects our ongoing investment in and dedication to excellence in our Fire and Rescue Service,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “I am very proud of the hard work of each and every member of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service who has placed us in a position to be nationally recognized for this prestigious award.”
“This award is testament to the commitment and
dedication of the entire department and also reflects the hard work and
collaboration of our hospital partners,” said Fire Chief Steve Lohr. “We strive
to stay on the leading edge of the most advanced technology and industry
practices available which translates into providing the best possible care - -
one patient at a time.”
With strong evidence that rapid response by fire andEMS
personnel, combined with state-of-the- art technology and pre-hospital care,
these projects are examples of teamwork and technology saving lives.
With strong evidence that rapid response by fire and
2 comments:
Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group? There's a lot of folks that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thank you
Certainly feel free to share. We also have a Facebook page you can share information off of. Go here for that: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montgomery-County-MD-Fire-Rescue/19392814260
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