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Both the Carrollton and Farmers Branch fire departments have received national recognition from the American Heart Association for providing high-quality emergency medical care to patients experiencing heart attacks, strokes and other cardiac emergencies.
The American Heart Association awarded both departments its Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Achievement Award, recognizing agencies that consistently follow evidence-based guidelines for treating patients before they reach the hospital.
For Carrollton, the recognition marks the department's 10th consecutive year earning the honor. The department also received the Target: Stroke and Target: Heart Attack Honor Roll designations, reflecting its performance during 2025 in treating patients with severe heart attacks and coordinating care with receiving hospitals.
"Achieving this recognition is truly a team effort," said Michael Thomson, chief of the Carrollton Fire Rescue. "This award highlights CFR's efforts in following evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of individuals who have severe heart attacks."
The Farmers Branch Fire Department also earned the Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Achievement Award for its rapid response to cardiac emergencies. The department said its paramedics can begin lifesaving treatment immediately upon arrival, often providing critical care up to an hour sooner than patients who travel by private vehicle while coordinating treatment with area hospitals.
The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program recognizes EMS agencies that meet national standards established with the American College of Cardiology for the prehospital treatment of patients experiencing ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the most severe type of heart attack.
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