CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (May 19, 2026) – Charlotte County Fire & EMS has been nationally recognized with the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Achievement Award for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing the most severe forms of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately helping save lives and improve patient outcomes across the community.
Mission: Lifeline EMS is a national initiative led by the American Heart Association focused on improving systems of care for time-sensitive medical emergencies, including ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) and strokes. The program emphasizes coordinated care from the moment a 911 call is placed through EMS treatment and hospital care, ensuring patients receive lifesaving interventions as quickly as possible.
Emergency medical services personnel are often able to begin treatment up to an hour sooner than if a patient were transported to the hospital by private vehicle. EMS professionals are also trained to provide lifesaving resuscitation efforts, early stabilization, and critical prehospital interventions that can significantly improve survival rates and long-term recovery.
“Arguably the most important link in the chain of survival for acute stroke and cardiovascular emergencies is emergency medical services and prehospital professionals,” said Kacey Kronenfeld, M.D., FAEMS, chair of the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline EMS Taskforce. “Early condition identification, stabilization, and prehospital interventions provide patients with the best chance of receiving definitive treatment quickly, leading to better outcomes and improved quality of life.”
“This recognition reflects the dedication our crews bring to every call, every shift, and every patient interaction,” said Matthew McElroy, Fire Chief and Public Safety Director. “From the moment a 911 call is received to the care delivered at the hospital, our personnel work with urgency, precision, and compassion to give patients the best possible chance at a positive outcome. I’m incredibly proud of the professionalism and commitment our team continues to demonstrate each day in service to our community.”
The Mission: Lifeline EMS achievement award focuses specifically on agencies’ on-scene care and recognizes the collaboration and contributions of prehospital providers in delivering timely, evidence-based treatment when every second matters.
Charlotte County Fire & EMS responds to more than 40,000 incidents annually, with the majority involving medical emergencies. Through advanced life support services, highly trained personnel, and strong partnerships with regional healthcare providers, the department continues to prioritize exceptional patient care and positive outcomes for the residents and visitors of Charlotte County.
For information, contact Ashley Turner at 941-833-5610 or Ashley.Turner@CharlotteCountyFL.gov.
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About Mission: Lifeline
Mission: Lifeline EMS® recognition is the American Heart Association’s program that recognizes prehospital emergency agencies for their quality of care for heart attack and stroke patients. The recognition program focuses on transforming care quality by connecting all heart attack and stroke care components into a seamlessly integrated care system. Key tenets of these systems of care reinforce evidence-based guidelines and measure performance, identify gaps, and engage in quality improvement. For more information, visit heart.org.