MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Tuesday, September 12, 2023) – Berkeley County EMS has been recognized as an Advanced Level Peds (Pediatric) Ready EMS Agency by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Bureau of EMS. For the sixth consecutive year, Berkeley County EMS has also received the Mission LifeLine® Gold Plus Award, which is the highest level of recognition handed out by the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Recognition Program. Both awards were presented during County Council’s meeting on Monday, September 11, 2023. Watch the full meeting HERE.
To achieve the Advanced Level Peds Ready designation, Berkeley County EMS had to meet pediatric-specific equipment requirements; training and education for pediatric patients; establishment of pediatric treatment protocols; and quality assurance procedures. State officials visited Berkeley County EMS in April 2023 to conduct an in-person inspection of the department’s ambulances, protocols, and training center, and conducted staff interviews to confirm all requirements for the Advanced Level Peds Ready designation had been met. Additionally, the state deemed the agency’s model for documentation as a best practice and is considering utilizing the model in future inspections statewide.
The Mission LifeLine® Gold Plus Award signifies Berkeley County EMS maintained high performance in the area of pre-hospital emergency cardiac care. To receive this designation, the agency must track and report cardiac care measures including timely administration of medications; rapid EKG acquisition and interpretation to identify heart attacks in the field; activation of cardiac catherization teams in the hospitals by EMS before arriving at the hospital; and other cardiac care measures.
More specifically, Berkeley County EMS had to assess a patient with non-traumatic chest pain, capture a 12-lead EKG, and within 10 minutes of the incident, transmit the EKG results to the appropriate chest pain center. Additionally, EMS crews had to transport the patient—having had the appropriate treatment of restored blood flow back to the heart—to the necessary medical facility within 90 minutes of the incident.
According to the American Heart Association, each year more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack—caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart—which requires timely treatment. Learn more about the Mission: LifeLine® EMS Program HERE.
“Both of these awards demonstrate the high-level of quality, pre-hospital emergency medical care provided by the EMTs and paramedics at Berkeley County EMS. I couldn’t be prouder of what our team has accomplished in the last year alone and how they continue to faithfully serve our communities and carry out our agency’s mission of ‘Excellence Through Care.’” -Chief Michael Shirey, Berkeley County EMS
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– Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office –
