QAC is nationally recognized for its commitment to quality care for heart attacks & strokes by AHA

The Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services has received its sixth American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attack and stroke.

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 health care systems.

For more information about The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS® program, visit heart.org. For more information about Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services, visit qacdes.org or follow them on social media @QACDES