The Westlake Fire Department participates in the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program and receives tools, training, and practices that the allow EMS providers to rapidly identify suspected heart attack patients, promptly notify the medical center, and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel. The department has received the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Level Award for at least 75 percent compliance for each required achievement measure for two years in both 2016 and 2017.
A patient suffering from a ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. Pictured are some of our firefighter-paramedics wit the
Pictured are some of our firefighter-paramedics with a cardiac monitor/defibrillator used for the 12-lead EKGs which is one of the tools they use.