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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST, 26 2022
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County EMS Recognized for Improving Infant Safety
Leon County Emergency Medical Services (LCEMS) has been recognized as a 2022 Capital Area Healthy Start Angel Award recipient for advancing infant safety through free infant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) classes for local families.
The Angel Award is given to an individual or group who exemplifies the mission of the Capital Area Healthy Start, which is to improve the lives of local moms and babies by working with families and healthcare providers.
“One of Leon County’s top priorities is the safety of our community,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Bill Proctor. “Our EMS team provides the highest quality emergency care around all while leading infant CPR classes.”
LCEMS was recognized this year for their work in supporting local moms and families with infants. LCEMS, in partnership with Capital Area Healthy Start, provides free infant CPR classes to local families. To date, LCEMS has held 15 classes and trained more than 450 parents and caregivers in infant CPR. Parents or caregivers interested in infant CPR training can contact Capital Area Healthy Start Outreach and Intake Coordinator Danielle Brown, at Danielle@CapitalAreaHealthyStart.org, or call 850-488-0288.
In addition to infant CPR classes, LCEMS has trained more than 15,000 residents with hands-on instruction on how to do CPR correctly through its annual Press the Chest event. Programs like Press the Chest contribute to Leon County’s cardiac survival rate of 58%, which far exceeds the national average of 18%. Such programs also support the County’s strategic initiative to increase the number of citizens trained in CPR and Automated External Defibrillators (AED) usage.
“Our County paramedics know first-hand how difficult it can be for a parent or caregiver to give infant CPR but I am proud that our team is being hands-on in educating our community so that they have the confidence to respond,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long.
LCEMS was recently awarded the 2022 American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus Award for its commitment to exceptional care and treatment of patients experiencing an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack. Earlier this month, the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) conferred a three-year accreditation to LCEMS for the fifth consecutive time while LCEMS Chief Chad Abrams was elected to serve on the National EMS Management Association (NEMSMA) board.
“Our EMS team cares about the lives of the people in this community from the oldest to the youngest,” said LCEMS Chief Chad Abrams. “The recognition of the hardworking men and women on our team is something we will never take for granted. We are grateful to be honored by Capital Area Healthy Start.”
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.
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About the Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition:
Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition is dedicated to connecting new or expecting moms and families with young children to community programs that help with pregnancy and parenting. Our goals are to ensure pregnant women have access to care and to improve maternal and infant health through healthy pregnancy education, child development education, breastfeeding education, women’s health education & support, and care coordination.
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