Carrollton Receives Ninth AH Association Award in a Row

Carrollton Fire Rescue (CFR) received a 2025 Mission: Lifeline^® EMS - Gold level recognition from the American Heart Association (AHA) making this the nineth year in a row that CFR has earned the honor.

This EMS Gold with Target: Heart Attack Honor Roll award is built on the maintenance of previous years' successes and is specifically representative of the care delivered by CFR throughout 2024. Award criteria includes documented measurements of patients with non-traumatic chest pain, patients transported with prehospital contact, and patients needing treatment for severe heart attacks.

"Achieving this recognition is truly a team effort," Carrollton Fire Chief Michael Thomson said. "This award highlights CFR's efforts in following evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of individuals who have severe heart attacks."

The AHA developed the Mission: Lifeline Recognition Program to recognize emergency service organizations that meet the guidelines from the AHA and the American College of Cardiology in the prehospital care of patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) - the deadliest form of a heart attack.

The Target: Heart Attack Honor Roll designation focuses on coordinating care between prehospital agencies and the destination hospital. This time-critical award level is limited to those agencies providing patient transport to STEMI-receiving and STEMI-referring centers. To receive this designation, the agency must first meet the criteria of the Mission: Lifeline EMS award at the Gold, Silver, or Bronze level ꟷ an achievement Carrollton has accomplished since 2017.

"The coordinated efforts of our paramedics, our EMS training staff, our medical director, and our hospital partners to maintain a high standard of cardiac care for our community is represented in this award," EMS Battalion Chief Jeffrey Glenn said. "AHA's Mission: Lifeline project puts CFR in a position to influence new and cutting-edge developments in cardiac care that will improve lives within our community and is an opportunity to participate in the progression of evidence-based cardiac care for the North Texas area and beyond."

Collaboration among prehospital and hospital providers is the essence of Mission: Lifeline. The AHA recognizes the vital importance EMS providers deliver to the overall success of Mission: Lifeline STEMI Systems of Care. The correct tools and training allow EMS providers to rapidly identify incidences of STEMI, promptly notify the destination center, and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.

"The role of first responder care is crucial to patients suffering from cardiac emergencies and often sets the course for the patient's outcome," Thomson said. "I am proud of the focus and capabilities of Carrollton Fire Rescue. Carrollton's high-quality training, equipment, and dedicated personnel are what make CFR team members leaders in delivering unparalleled quality care to our citizens."

By bringing together hospitals, EMS agencies, and others from across the community to coordinate and streamline protocols, both time and ultimately lives can be saved. These awards recognize the efforts of EMS teams and hospitals across the nation for their collaboration in systems of care and meeting Mission: Lifeline treatment guidelines. For more information on the AHA's Mission: Lifeline program, visit heart.org.

For more information on CFR's continued emergency response efforts, visit cityofcarrollton.com/fire.