SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. --- Going for gold! The South Walton Fire District has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for its proven responses to patients experiencing heart attack and stroke emergencies.

These severe, time-sensitive events often begin in the prehospital setting, where Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers like SWFD serve as the key link in the survivability chain by initiating rapid care. These Advanced Life Support (ALS) interventions address the onset of heart attack or stroke symptoms, with the goal of preventing serious injury or loss of life.

“Every second counts for us when someone calls 911 after the onset of symptoms,” said SWFD Fire Chief Ryan Crawford. “From the time we first take the call in our dispatch center, it’s up to us to do whatever we can to get the patient the treatment they need, reassure them, and ultimately save their life with ALS care.”

Both heart attacks and strokes can happen anywhere at any time. Once a 911 call is placed, the response begins in SWFD’s Emergency Communications Center with dispatchers who render care through a Computer-Aided Dispatch system to determine a patient’s medical status. When responders arrive in-person, they are tasked with conducting a thorough patient evaluation, administering the appropriate medications, and responding emergently to the nearest hospital. The most severe cases involve resuscitating patients in cardiac arrest.

“The medical side of the job is not always something we can publicly convey due to our need to maintain patient privacy,” Crawford said. “However, our community relied on us for approximately 6,000 medical-related calls last year alone. Emergency medical response is a foundational service that we provide to our taxpayers, so this recognition is well-deserved for our frontline personnel, our EMS Division, Medical Director, and our area healthcare partners.”

SWFD encourages community members to know the warning signs of cardiac and stroke events. The quick activation of EMS by calling 911 and describing symptoms is key in effective treatment.