The City of Brownsville’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Silver achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives.
“This recognition for the Brownsville EMS teams is a remarkable achievement, and their dedication to saving lives is commendable,” said John Cowen, Jr., Brownsville City Mayor. “By providing rapid and research-based care to individuals facing severe heart attacks and strokes, our EMS teams are making a significant impact on countless lives in the communities we serve.”
“The commitment of our EMS teams to offering swift and effective treatments demonstrates the importance of timely medical interventions, especially in critical situations,” said Helen Ramirez, AICP, Brownsville City Manager. “Saving lives requires not only medical expertise but also a sense of urgency and compassion, which our teams have clearly exemplified.”
“This award acknowledges our unwavering dedication, exceptional skills, and the countless lives we have saved,” said Jarrett Sheldon, Brownsville Fire/EMS Chief. “Our work serves as a reminder of the crucial role healthcare professionals play in our society.”
Emergency Medical Services staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone goes to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to provide resuscitation efforts to someone whose heart has stopped. People who arrive by ambulance may also receive faster treatment at the hospital.
Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination between the individual prehospital providers and healthcare systems.
“Arguably the most important link in the chains of survival for acute stroke and cardiovascular emergencies is emergency medical services and prehospital professionals,” said Edward Jauch, M.D., MS, MBA, Chair of the Department of Research at the University of North Carolina Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Center. “Early condition identification, stabilization and prehospital interventions, and initiation of actions within the regional systems of care provide patients with the best chance for receiving expedient definitive therapies leading to optimal outcomes and maximized quality of life.
According to the American Heart Association, their Mission: Lifeline EMS awards are an important way to recognize the crucial roles and performances of EMS personnel in stroke and cardiac patients’ care. The Mission: Lifeline EMS achievement award focuses on agencies’ on-scene care, bringing to the forefront the collaboration and contributions to patient care for prehospital providers.