Excerpts from the NorthwestHerald.com:
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Award, which is given to agencies that have demonstrated at least 75 percent compliance for each required achievement measure for one year. They ares one of 21 EMS agencies in the state to receive the award.
Each year, more than 250,000 people experience the most deadly type of heart attack, an ST elevation myocardial infarction, which is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart and requires timely treatment. It becomes critical to restore blood flow quickly, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medicine.
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said James Jollis, chair of the Mission: Lifeline Advisory Working Group. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can shave precious minutes off life-saving treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals. “We applaud the McHenry Township Fire Protection District for achieving this award that shows it meets evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
