Location: 114th

(April 22, 2016) – The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and Masimo will honor two fire departments for best practices and innovative solutions in the delivery of emergency medical services with the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award. The award presentation will take place on May 5th at the 28th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC. The honorees are the Olathe (KS) Fire Department and Kittitas Valley (WA) Fire and Rescue.

First presented in 2011, the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award has recognized fire departments from across the nation for developing and enhancing the delivery of emergency medical services to address the growing challenges in delivering emergency medical care. By showcasing these practices, the awards program provides fire departments across the nation ideas for enhancing their own fire service-based EMS systems.

The Olathe Fire Department is being recognized for the establishment of its Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) team. With the support of local government, the Olathe Medical Center, and a number of local community partners, the MIH team is providing better treatment in the field for patients, thereby reducing the number of patient transports to emergency rooms. Through data collection, the MIH team is being able to monitor the progress of these patients and schedule follow-up visits for evaluations and continued treatment.

Serving a community of 28,600, including 10,000 Central Washington University students, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue has implemented new programs that are reducing emergency service demand while providing better care and treatment for its citizens. With the support of local law enforcement and student housing, KVFR is conducting educational programs for students, law enforcement, and other community members that address the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. They have launched a community paramedicine program to provide alternative medical care options that will alleviate pressure on the 911 system and improve patient outcomes. And to address a rising call volume for non-injury lift assist at assisted living facilities, KVFR has developed a new fee structure and educational program.

“CFSI takes great pride in co-sponsoring the Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Award with Masimo,” said CFSI President Bill Jenaway. “Through this awards program, we can recognize important innovations in fire service-based emergency medical care – such as those implemented by our 2016 award recipients – and share those innovations with other departments seeking to enhance their own EMS systems.

Information about the 2016 National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium/28th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner is available at www.cfsi.org. Tickets are still available for this program which benefits the mission of CFSI.