It’s the ninth consecutive time American Heart Association has recognized West Chester first responders with the annual award, said township officials.
According to a statement from officials, 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 health care systems.
According to recent township statistics, over a decade-long period, West Chester Fire Department’s call volume has increased 51 percent.
And there were 5,559 EMS calls for service, an increase of 7.1 percent from the previous year.
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.
“West Chester Fire Department is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said West Chester Bureau Chief Jason Hartley, Emergency Medical Services.
“The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis so patients have the best possible chance of survival,” said Hartley.
In 2023, West Chester Township made the transition to an exclusively full-time department.
At this time a total of 14 career firefighter/paramedics have been hired to fill both vacant and new positions. The move, approved by the West Chester Board of Trustees, allows the fire department to improve continuity of emergency response, become less reliant on part-time crews, and cut down on overtime costs.
“We’re very pleased and we really appreciate the support of the (trustees) to make this happen,” said West Chester Fire Chief Rick Prinz. “In the end, it’s going to mean quality of services delivered to our residents, which we’re very, very grateful for.”
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