The Ridgefield Fire Department is proud to announce that it has been awarded the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Award for the third consecutive year, recognizing sustained excellence in the emergency care of patients experiencing cardiac arrest, heart attacks, and strokes.

This national honor underscores the department’s commitment to delivering lifesaving care based on the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines, from the moment of 911 call to hospital handoff. Ridgefield Fire responds to approximately 4,200 calls each year, with nearly 80% of those involving emergency medical services.

“Our success reflects not just training, but a culture of clinical excellence,” said Fire Chief Rommie L. Duckworth. “Every firefighter-paramedic and firefighter-EMT here understands that seconds count and trains continuously to be ready to respond when these emergencies happen.”

The department’s EMS providers are trained in advanced cardiac life support, high-performance CPR, stroke assessment tools, and rapid deployment of life-saving interventions such as 12-lead ECGs and critical medications. These efforts are supported by rigorous internal quality assurance and regular field-based simulation.

Assistant Chief Tony Cerulli emphasized the team effort behind the achievement: “This award is a testament to the professionalism and coordination of everyone involved—from dispatchers and field providers to our hospital partners. Ridgefield is fortunate to have a department that doesn’t accept ‘good enough’ when it comes to saving lives.”

EMS Coordinator Michal Trenck, who oversees EMS training and clinical performance, added, “The standard of care is our starting point. We strive to push beyond that to provide excellent care. From paramedic onboarding to department-wide cardiac arrest drills, our goal is continuous improvement and the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

The Ridgefield Fire Department also hosts free hands-only CPR classes for the public at Fire Headquarters, equipping residents with the tools to take immediate action in emergencies. The department credits key partners in the Ridgefield Police Department and the Ridgefield Communications Center dispatchers, whose fast, skilled response is an essential part of every successful outcome.

The Mission: Lifeline Gold Award is awarded to EMS agencies that consistently meet or exceed nationally recognized benchmarks for the timely and effective treatment of patients suffering the most serious cardiovascular emergencies.