Of the 36,000 emergency service calls fielded by the four ambulance squads in Berks County, 10 percent represent the most serious type of cardiac emergencies.
“When a patient is afflicted with this type of cardiac emergency-called a STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) – you can bring the patient back to life but you have to work quickly,” said Ashley Neubauer, chief of operations, Boyertown Lions Ambulance Association.
“The outcome,” added Edward Moreland, chief of operations for Western Berks Regional Medical Service, “is usually poor which is why it’s imperative to render immediate care. My personnel get things done. They know exactly what to look for and are constantly in communication with doctors at the hospital.”
A STEMI episode is a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment – either by restoring blood flow by surgically opening the blood vessel or by giving “clot-busting” medications. Every year more than 250,000 people in the United States experience a STEMI emergency.
Because of their outstanding performance in responding to STEMI emergencies, four ambulance squads in Berks County – Boyertown Lions Community Ambulance Association, Reading Fire Department-EMS Division, Southern Berks Regional Medical Service and Western Berks Regional Medical Service – were recognized by the American Heart Association.
Through the AHA’s Lifeline EMS Recognition Program, the four squads were recent recipients of Mission: Performance Achievement Awards, which recognize emergency responders for their efforts “in improving STEMI care and improving quality of life.” Southern and Western Berks Regional Medical Services received Gold honors for their achievements. The Boyertown and Reading squads received the Bronze and Silver respectively.
Michael Palamar, chief of operations for Southern Berks Regional Medical Service, explained how the squad responds when confronted with a STEMI emergency.
“As soon as we arrive on the scene for a cardiac emergency, we hook the patient up to the 12-lead ECG monitor; on it we can view the whole heart and pinpoint where the problem is occurring. At the same time, we are communicating with doctors in the emergency room and in the catheter laboratory. They see what we are seeing through the heart monitor, which prepares them for the patient when we arrive at the hospital,” he explained.
James Conrad, deputy chief and EMS director for Reading Fire Department-EMS Division, commended his people for outstanding performance “even though the working environment may not be ideal. They have been known to experience physical confrontations – even to the point that they are punched, kicked and beaten up.”
Neubauer conceded that, for the members of her squad, the award is a source of “great recognition” and pride. “It also underscores to the community that we are highly skilled in quickly determining the severity of a cardiac emergency, and that capability alone should give peace of mind to people in our service area.”
