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FAST WORKERS. Above, Dr. Daniel Sheesley, middle, from Henry Ford Macomb presents Washington Township Fire Department paramedics with a plaque honoring their part in helping save a heart attack patient's heart muscles in record time. From left, Sgt. Reid Sheeley, Medic Barn Chandler, Sheesley, Medic Michael MacKenzie and Sgt. Dennis Milobar.

(Photo courtesy of Michael MacKenzie)

Washington paramedics help
heal heart in record time

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      In most cases, time means money, but in this instance time meant muscle.
       Thanks to training and technology, paramedics from the Washington Township Fire Department were able to help save a resident suffering from a heart attack in record time.
       Henry Ford Macomb Hospital awarded the EMS workers on June 23 with a Code ST Segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) award for their record-setting rescue.
       A plaque will hang in the hallway of the hospital's emergency entrance to acknowledge the doctors and paramedics involved in the patient's care.
       "We're pretty excited we were recognized for our pre-hospital work," said EMS Coordinator Michael MacKenzie.
       MacKenzie said hospitals generally have a goal of 90 minutes from when a heart attack patient arrives at their facility to restoring circulation of blood to the affected heart muscle.
       With the training and advanced electrocardiogram (EKG) equipment the department has, they were able to send information to Henry Ford Macomb before transporting the patient, allowing hospital workers to restore blood circulation in 17 minutes.
       "I would imagine the patient was pretty happy with that," he said, chuckling.
       Paramedics Sgt. Reid Sheeley, Barn Chandler, Sgt. Dennis Milobar and MacKenzie, arrived at the scene of a resident complaining of chest pains. Using the advanced monitoring system, which monitors the heart's electrical activity, they could quickly identify the problem.
       "We were able to determine with the use of a 12-lead EKG that this patient was actively having a heart attack, or what we call a STEMI," MacKenzie said.
       A STEMI is a specific abnormality in the EKG readings that paramedics are trained to look for that indicate an individual is having a heart attack while in the field.
       The paramedics then sent the information using special cell phones to the hospital emergency department, who in turn receive a diagnostic quality EKG that can be reviewed by emergency room doctors and cardiologists, MacKenzie said.
       "It allows them to prepare for the patient's arrival at their facility," he said.
       Since the patient was identified as a STEMI patient, he was immediately transported to Henry Ford Macomb's catherization (CATH) Lab instead of the ER room, where circulation was restored and helped save heart muscle.
       The award was given for the paramedics' work as well as their response time and transportation time. MacKenzie said he was happy with the results, and hopes people call them when they have chest pains.
       "We do deal with a lot of cardiac problems," he said. "Hopefully people will call us instead of the doctor, and we can start saving heart muscles."
       In June alone, the Washington Township Fire Department responded to four heart attack calls, and average around five emergency runs a day.