Bay County EMS received Lifeline EMS Silver Participant Achievement award

BAY COUNTY, FL. ( WMBB ) – Bay County Emergency Services is receiving national recognition for their rapid response and care of heart attack and stroke patients.

They’ve earned the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Participant Achievement award.

That’s the national initiative to improve the care of patients dealing with high-risk, time-sensitive diseases, like heart attacks and strokes.

The emergency service team’s goal is to get the response times under 90 minutes from the time someone dials 911 to the treatment being completed at the hospital. Ambulances are equipped with cardiac monitors that let the paramedics know if someone is experiencing an active heart attack.

“If someone’s actually having a heart attack, you probably have 20 people that are actively putting their effort into saving that individual’s life. It allows them to maximize the potential for their heart, you know, to have a good outcome if they’re having a heart attack or stroke,” Chief of Emergency Services Matthew Lindeworth said.

The emergency crew’s response is crucial.

On the way to the hospital, they administered aspirin, medications, IVs, and even inserted stents to open arteries for heart attacks.

They also try to learn when a stroke patient was last seen well, so they can determine proper treatment. This all takes place while their medical data is transmitted to the hospital within 10 minutes.

The earlier the treatment, the better chance of survival.

Bay County’s Emergency service team is working to improve response times. Now that they’ve won silver, they qualify to compete for the gold standard award next year.

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