Pocatello first-responders recognized

The Pocatello Fire Department and Bannock County Ambulance have received the American Heart Association’s “Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus Award.”

The agencies have received gold recognition for the past four years for their quality of care for heart attack patients.

“I am very proud of the members of the Pocatello Fire Department and the Bannock County Ambulance District for their dedication and professionalism as well as for the pursuit of excellence they continue to demonstrate,” said Pocatello Fire Department Chief David Gates. “The standards necessary to achieve the award are rigorous. They have achieved those standards for five straight years, which makes this extra special.”

“Lifeline” chair Dr. Tim Henry said first-responders are a vital part of the system of care for heart attack victims. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient. We applaud the Pocatello Fire Department and Bannock County Ambulance for achieving this award in following evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”