Stratford achieves HEARTSafe Community – Again!

HSC STRATFORD, CT – Stratford has met the renewal requirements of a designated HEARTSafe Community from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association. “HEARTSafe Community” is a three year designation which recognizes Stratford’s continued commitment to providing improved cardiac response and care to residents and visitors utilizing the “Chain of Survival” concept. Recognition was first conferred to the town in 2012.

There are four vital links to the “Chain of Survival”: early access to emergency care; early advanced care; early cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and early defibrillation.

Obtaining the designation as a HEARTSafe Community represents a true community effort of not just the vital fire, police, and emergency medical services, but also of various town departments, schools, businesses and individuals that provided training opportunities and purchased publicly located automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

The Re-Designation process reviewed the Town’s handling of the following areas:

  1. Ongoing CPR & AED Training
  2. Location of Town AED’s
  3. First Responder Designation (Stratford FD)
  4. Advanced Life Support Designation (Stratford EMS)
  5. Ongoing evaluation and improvement of the Chain of Survival

Stratford far exceeded the established standards to be a HEARTSafe Community previously and actually improved upon those requirements since then. Stratford EMS was and continues to be the primary steward of this designation on behalf of the town and has worked hard to ensure that the community is well trained and has access to AED’s.

Just as important are those citizens who took the time and effort to become CPR/AED certified.  “Today, the citizens of Stratford are better prepared to witness the onset of a cardiac event and more likely to take appropriate action!” said Michael Loiz, Director of EMS for the Town of Stratford.  “This is an important step in the Towns continued efforts to enhance public safety and provide the very best emergency medical care to the residents of the community.”

“The Town of Stratford continues to work hard to provide a safe and healthy community,” said Mayor John Harkins. “Kudos to everyone at EMS and throughout town involved in acquiring and renewing the HEARTsafe designation.”