MissionLifeline-EMS-Award June, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2026
Kalispell Fire Department nationally recognized for its
commitment to quality care for heart attacks and strokes
The American Heart Association presents the Mission: Lifeline® EMS
Gold achievement award for proven dedication to ensuring access to
best practices and life-saving care.
Kalispell, MT – The Kalispell Fire Department
has received the American Heart Association’s
Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement
award for its commitment to offering rapid and
research-based care to people experiencing the
most severe form of heart attacks and strokes,
ultimately saving lives.
Emergency medical services staff can begin
treatment when they arrive — up to an hour
sooner than if someone goes to the hospital by
car. EMS staff are also trained to provide
resuscitation efforts to someone whose heart
has stopped. People who arrive by ambulance
may also receive faster treatment at the
hospital.
Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the
system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart
attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when
911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal
care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination between the individual prehospital
providers and health care systems. The Lifeline EMS awards are an important way to recognize
the crucial roles and performances of EMS personnel in stroke and cardiac patients’ care.
Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen said, “As a general rule, you don’t want to have a heart attack or a
stroke, but if you do have one – you want to have it in Kalispell, where the connections between
dispatchers, EMTs, paramedics, and receiving hospital staff have created the recognition, the
treatment, and linkages – to result in the best possible patient outcomes. This award recognizes
the outstanding work of our EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, dispatch partners, and medical
direction team who consistently deliver high-quality prehospital care, adhere to nationally
recognized treatment guidelines, and work seamlessly with our healthcare partners to improve
patient outcomes.”
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About Mission: Lifeline
Mission: Lifeline EMS® recognition is the American Heart Association’s program that recognizes
prehospital emergency agencies for their quality of care for heart attack and stroke patients. The
recognition program focuses on transforming care quality by connecting all heart attack and stroke
care components into a seamlessly integrated care system. Key tenets of these systems of care
reinforce evidence-based guidelines and measure performance, identify gaps, and engage in
quality improvement.
For more information, visit heart.org.