The Vigilant Fire Company presented four members of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Squad with the Ambulance Call of the Year Award for 2018 at its monthly meeting on Monday, Feb. 4.
“It is my pleasure and the pleasure of the Vigilant Fire Company to recognize these four Midshipmen/EMTs [Emergency Medical Technicians] for a job truly well done,” said Vigilant Chief Josh Charry. “They are the embodiment of the USMMA motto: Acta Non Verba.”
The four Midshipmen were the duty Watch Team on the night of Nov. 30, 2018, when a call was received for a faculty member who was experiencing chest pain. The Watch Team responded to the location, while the Vigilant Fire Company was notified for an ambulance.
Upon arrival, the members of the Watch Team found the faculty member complaining of chest pain that was radiating to and down his left arm. The Watch Team assessed the patient, gathered critical information and provided a concise and accurate report to Vigilant personnel when they arrived.
On assessment by Vigilant paramedics, the patient was found to be experiencing a severe myocardial infarction or heart attack. The patient was quickly transported to North Shore University Hospital, where he underwent successful emergency cardiac catheterization to open two blocked arteries around his heart. He was discharged and returned home a few days later.
“These USMMA EMS members displayed focus and concentration on doing their jobs to the best of their abilities in a situation where some more experienced EMS providers would not have,” said Charry. “They recognized that this patient was experiencing a true medical emergency, followed their training perfectly and helped ensure a positive outcome in this situation. I am convinced that were it not for their rapid arrival, assessment and initial treatment of this patient, the outcome would have been much worse.”
