On Thursday May 21, 2015, the 2014 Chester County EMS Council Inc. Awards Ceremony was held at the Red Clay Room of the Kennett Fire Company in Kennett Square, PA. This special event honors emergency medical service providers who have been nominated for their involvement in a clinical medical save of a patient, delivery of a baby prior to arrival at a hospital, leadership achievements, or longevity of service to the emergency medical services community as a whole.

Emergency medical providers from across Chester County were honored with awards, including QRS Coordinator Mike Edwards of the Thorndale Volunteer Fire Company and Caln Township’s Superintendent of Life and Safety Ray Stackhouse were honored for their actions on October 28, 2014 for an incident in Caln Township.

Chester County Department of Emergency Service Communications Center dispatched the Caln Township Police, Minquas Fire Company Ambulance and Paramedics of Downingtown, and the Thorndale Volunteer Fire Company for a patient experiencing Chest Pains. The incident was upgraded a short time later when the patient went into Cardiac Arrest. Crews arrived and performed quick care which resulted in the patient’s recovery prior to arriving at the hospital.

All crew members from Minquas and Thorndale were presented with a clinical save award for their successful actions on this emergency. A clinical save is a medical industry term used to describe an act by emergency services providers that occurs when they respond to a person that is not breathing and pulseless, which by actions taken prior to arrival at the hospital results in the patients respiratory and circulatory system being restarted.

A clinical save is the single most significant recognition that is bestowed on a member of the emergency services community and therefore consider a very high honor.

Congratulations to QRS Coordinator Mike Edwards and Superintendent of Life and Safety Ray Stackhouse for receiving this high honor and providing unmatched patient care.

The Thorndale Volunteer Fire Company would like to also extend a congratulations to emergency medical providers from across Chester County who received awards at this very special event.