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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and MedicAlert Foundation announce the 2nd Annual Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards program. The Excellence Awards recognize fire departments for leadership in advancing innovations that increase the level of emergency medical services (EMS) provided to local communities.
In its second year, the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards highlights the EMS best practices accomplished by volunteer, career and combination fire departments in the U.S. To participate in the Excellence Awards program, fire departments must have implemented a unique practice that enhances the delivery of EMS in the community. The Excellence Awards criteria considers practices that improve firefighter and paramedic safety, the efficiency of resource deployment or the effectiveness by which EMS response and patient care are delivered. “First responders in emergency situations know that the more life-saving practices that can be performed safely on the scene, the better the chances for a positive outcome,” said Bill Webb, Executive Director of CFSI. “These fire service-based EMS practitioners aggressively pursue opportunities to learn new skill sets and utilize the latest technologies that enable them to provide the best patient care possible. Our Excellence Awards program honors their ingenuity and seeks to share these innovative practices and programs to enable other fire departments to consider implementing similar enhancements.”
“It is a privilege to co-sponsor with CFSI this awards program to spotlight the significant achievements of fire service-based EMS programs around the country,” said Andrew B. Wigglesworth, President and Chief Executive Officer of MedicAlert Foundation. “As a partner with EMS departments nationwide, MedicAlert Foundation understands their critical role in safeguarding all of our communities. Through this Excellence Awards program, we are showcasing innovations that have advanced the practice of emergency medical services and made a significant difference in the quality of patient care.”
To participate in the 2nd Annual Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award program, applicants must submit an essay of 1000 words or less describing the best practice that has been created to improve EMS services. The 2012 Excellence Awards will be presented at the 24th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, D.C. on April 26, 2012. A brochure detailing the Awards criteria along with an application form can be found at www.cfsi.org/awards/awards_ems.cfm and www.medicalert.org/award. The application submission process is open January 1-March 16, 2012. Recipients of the 2nd Annual Excellence Awards will be notified in April 2012.
About Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI)
Established in 1989, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute that works with members of Congress in promoting fire and life safety issues. Working with other national fire service organizations, the Institute focuses its attention on issues that benefit all first responders. Members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the largest caucus in Congress, look to CFSI for guidance and information to enhance their level of understanding about the challenges and needs of our nation’s fire and EMS communities. For more information on CFSI, visit www.cfsi.org.
About MedicAlert Foundation
Established in 1956, the nonprofit MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the use of medical IDs and delivers the most dependable, the most responsive, the most intelligent and the most trusted Emergency Identification and Medical Information Network. MedicAlert provides the functionality of an e-health information exchange through an innovative combination of a unique patient identifier linked to a PHR and a live 24/7 emergency response service. MedicAlert Foundation International medical IDs alert emergency personnel to a member’s primary health conditions, medications or implanted medical devices. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation International also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones. Visit www.medicalert.org for more information.
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