County Recognized with Two National Awards for Providing Exceptional Cardiac Care

Leon County Emergency Medical Services (LCEMS) was recognized with two national awards for its continued commitment to providing exceptional, lifesaving cardiac care and treatment to patients experiencing heart attacks and strokes. The American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Award with Target Heart Attack Honor Roll and the American College of Cardiology’s EMS Partner in Care designation recognize the collaboration between LCEMS and local hospitals to provide time-critical care to patients, ultimately saving lives.

“I am very proud of our Leon County EMS team for their unwavering dedication to save the lives of local patients who experience heart attacks and strokes,” said Leon County Commission Chair Carolyn D. Cummings. “These two national awards are a testament to their exceptional skills, compassion, and commitment to provide the highest quality health care to our community.”

For the seventh consecutive year, LCEMS has received the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Award with Target Heart Attack Honor Roll for offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart and requiring timely treatment to survive. This prestigious award recognizes LCEMS training and treatment protocols that help rapidly identify and treat patients experiencing STEMI. Also, for the second consecutive year, LCEMS received the Target: Heart Attack Honor Roll designation, a time-critical award given to agencies that provide patient transport to STEMI-receiving and STEMI-referring centers.

Further exemplifying the commitment of LCEMS to providing exceptional patient care, the American College of Cardiology’s EMS Partner in Care designation recognizes the strong partnership between LCEMS and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to ensure the highest level of care for patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. Leon County EMS and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital have collaborated for nearly two decades to improve patient outcomes.

“For 20 years, our Leon County EMS team has been a leader in pre-hospital emergency medicine and continues to set the standard of care for heart attack and stroke patients nationally,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “These awards reflect their steadfast commitment to excellence and their ability to deliver lifesaving care to the community in the most critical moments.”

Launched on December 31, 2003, Leon County EMS has provided clinically superior, cost-effective emergency medical services and transport to the citizens and visitors of Leon County for 20 years. With a team of highly trained professionals and state-of-the-art equipment, LCEMS continues to deliver prompt and compassionate care to those in need.

“Leon County EMS is honored to be recognized with two national awards for our team's commitment to delivering exceptional, lifesaving care to our community,” said Leon County EMS Chief Chad Abrams. “I couldn’t be prouder of every member of our dedicated and compassionate team.”

For more information, contact Chief Chad Abrams, Leon County Emergency Medical Services, at (850) 606-2100 / AbramsC@LeonCountyFL.gov or Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.

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