Akron Fire Department Named EMS Agency of the Year at the 2022 Ohio EMS Star of Life Awards
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of City of Akron Press Office
Published: 11-15-2022
Akron, Ohio, Nov. 15, 2022 — On November 7, 2022, the Akron Fire Department was recognized at the annual Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services Star of Life Awards as the Agency of the Year. The Ohio EMS Star of Life Awards bring together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services on medicine's front lines.
“The service of EMS personnel is essential to our lives, and they play a critical role in delivering vital emergency services to all Ohioans,” said Ohio EMS Executive Director Rob Wagoner. “The Star of Life Awards exemplify the commitment and dedication of the over 41,000 EMS providers in Ohio, who provide an essential community service every day.”
The Awards Selection Panel evaluates nominations based upon achievement of excellence in areas of patient care, public access, public education and training, disaster preparedness, and outstanding service to their communities.
“I’m incredibly proud of our Akron Fire Department for this accomplishment,” said Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan. “Our community is well-aware of how outstanding our firefighter/EMS crews are, so it’s great to see them get the recognition they so rightfully deserve at the state level. Their commitment to excellence and their dedication to service are witnessed every day here in Akron and we applaud them for this well-earned award.”
“Our firefighter/EMS personnel are some of the very best in their profession across the entire state, and this award affirms that,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Clarence Tucker. “I congratulate our Akron Fire Department for this outstanding achievement and thank them for their ongoing dedication and extraordinary service to this community.”
Akron Fire Department has evolved from 25 paramedic firefighters and three paramedic transport units over 40 years ago to 149 paramedics and 14 paramedic transport units covering the city of Akron and providing mutual aid to surrounding communities.
AFD has many specialty teams and community outreach programs including: the Tactical EMS Team (TEMS) that works with the Akron SWAT team, the Resources, Education, and Advocacy for Community Health (REACH) program that provides home safety inspections and other resources to residents, the Quick Response Team (QRT) that provides resources such as CPR Anytime, Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided with Naloxone) that provides free naloxone kits to treat opioid overdoses, and definitive care to residents with opioid addiction, and Community CPR classes that provide multiple opportunities for the public to learn hands-only CPR to improve survival from cardiac arrest.
Akron Fire’s tireless efforts to improve field times and survivability of cardiac arrest victims through an increase in bystander CPR, use of the PulsePoint mobile app, participation in the CARES registry, and the utilization of advanced equipment on paramedic units has gone above and beyond the day-to-day excellence of the EMS system and ultimately earned them this recognition.
For further information, contact:
Stephanie Marsh
Chief Communications Officer
Phone: 330-375-2754
E-mail: [email protected]
