IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs
04/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/01/2026 11:51
The IAFC EMS Section Announces Winners of Heart Safe Community Award
McLean, VA - Annually, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) EMS Section, with the support of the PulsePoint Foundation, recognizes fire-service-based EMS systems that play a key role in improving out-of-hospital response and treatment of heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest. Two Heart Safe Community awards are presented, one for a small/mid-sized community with a population of 100,000 or less, and one for a large community with a population of more than 100,000.
This year's winner for the small/mid-sized community is Milton Fire Rescue, GA, and the large community winner is the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, MD. Both departments have made significant investments in preventing, recognizing, and treating heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest.
"The progress coming out of the Milton Fire Department (GA) and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MD) is a strong reminder of what's possible when organizations fully commit to improving cardiac arrest survival," said Chief Kevin Joles, Chair of the IAFC EMS Section. "Their efforts reflect more than protocol adoption-they've built an environment where preparation, accountability, and innovation drive real, measurable impact for the communities they serve."
The winners will be recognized at the Fire-Rescue Med (FRM) conference in Glendale, AZ on May 19-21. Fire-Rescue Med is the premier fire-based EMS conference hosted by the IAFC's EMS section. Registration for the conference is still open.
Each year, communities can apply for the Heart Safe Community award through the IAFC's EMS section. Applicants demonstrate how they have improved the quality of out-of-hospital resuscitation through bystander CPR, dispatcher-assisted CPR, and nearby AED recommendation, citizen alerting, AED deployment (PAD programs), high-performance resuscitation, and data collection and quality improvement initiatives. These initiatives have proven to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest. Communities can learn more about the Heart Safe Community Award in the Heart Safe Community Guide.
This year's winner for the small/mid-sized community is Milton Fire Rescue, GA, and the large community winner is the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, MD. Both departments have made significant investments in preventing, recognizing, and treating heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest.
"The progress coming out of the Milton Fire Department (GA) and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MD) is a strong reminder of what's possible when organizations fully commit to improving cardiac arrest survival," said Chief Kevin Joles, Chair of the IAFC EMS Section. "Their efforts reflect more than protocol adoption-they've built an environment where preparation, accountability, and innovation drive real, measurable impact for the communities they serve."
The winners will be recognized at the Fire-Rescue Med (FRM) conference in Glendale, AZ on May 19-21. Fire-Rescue Med is the premier fire-based EMS conference hosted by the IAFC's EMS section. Registration for the conference is still open.
Each year, communities can apply for the Heart Safe Community award through the IAFC's EMS section. Applicants demonstrate how they have improved the quality of out-of-hospital resuscitation through bystander CPR, dispatcher-assisted CPR, and nearby AED recommendation, citizen alerting, AED deployment (PAD programs), high-performance resuscitation, and data collection and quality improvement initiatives. These initiatives have proven to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest. Communities can learn more about the Heart Safe Community Award in the Heart Safe Community Guide.
About the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
The IAFC represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials response, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. Since 1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas, develop professionally and uncover the latest best practices and services available for first responders
About the PulsePoint Foundation
PulsePoint is a 501(c)(3) public non-profit foundation based in the San Francisco Bay area. Through the use of location-aware mobile devices, PulsePoint is building applications that work with local public safety agencies to improve communication with citizens and professional emergency responders, increase civic engagement and encourage the community to help reduce the millions of annual deaths from sudden cardiac arrest. Learn more at pulsepoint.org or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
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