Governor honors EMS providers

    AUGUSTA – Governor John E. Baldacci honored emergency medical service providers and individuals Tuesday afternoon. Twelve EMS providers were honored for making the communities they serve HeartSafe Communities. Nine individuals were honored after being nominated by their peers for the contributions they have made in their professions.
 “Although it’s impossible to predict when and where sudden cardiac arrest will occur, or who its victims might be, there’s a better chance for survival because of the efforts of these individuals, communities, organizations and agencies,” said Baldacci. “Those living in a designated Maine HeartSafe Community should be proud to live in a place that is committed to the highest quality pre-transport care.”
    HeartSafe Communities is a recognition program based on the ‘Chain of Survival.’ Its purpose is to recognize work being done by emergency medical services programs throughout Maine and to provide further opportunities to enhance community partnerships, resources and services to improve cardiovascular health and decrease deaths due to cardiovascular-related events. To become a HeartSafe Community, certain criteria must be met that helps to improve cardiovascular health while decreasing death and disability associated with cardiovascular events. Criteria includes offering CPR within the community, equipping one emergency response vehicle with an automated external defibrillator and offering cardiovascular education and/or awareness within the community.
    “Each of the providers and their communities that are being honored today have taken steps to ensure that they have a system in place to address the chain of survival – from community education, to EMS personnel training, to program evaluation,” the Governor said.
    Those honored at the ceremony included:
• Emergency Medical Service providers receiving awards: Caribou Fire and Ambulance; Crown Ambulance Service; United Ambulance Service, Inc.; Auburn Fire/Rescue Department; North Berwick Rescue Squad, Inc.; Winthrop Ambulance; Lisbon Emergency, Inc.; Glenburn & Hudson Ambulance;
Mayo Regional Hospital EMS; Sanford Fire Department; NorthStar EMS; and Buckfield Rescue Department.    
• Individuals receiving awards: Danel Bahr, EMT-P, Orrington; Cindy Rossi, EMT-I, EMD, Marshfield; Mark Baker, EMT-P, Caribou; Lois Libby, EMT-I, Machias; Eric Strout, EMT, Glenburn; Christopher Burnham, EMT-P, Naples; Marjorie Dyer, EMT. Yarmouth; James Brann, EMT, Whitefield; and Jean Cashman, LCSW, Woodland.