Captain John Curry recieves Innovators in EMS 2012 Award

The Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), in partnership with Physio-Control, Inc., a leading provider of emergency medical response technologies worldwide, announced top 10 innovators in EMS on March 7, 2013, who drove the profession forward in 2012.

Captain Curry recieved the award for his assistance in creating the FOAM-D Stroke Consortium, a network composed of South Florida firefighters, doctors from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and 16 local hospitals with a goal of providing comprehensive, rapid response to the treatment of stroke patients.

"The EMS 10 program, now in its fifth year and conducted in partnership with Physio-Control, provides us with a way to find, recognize and publicize the work of EMS innovators," stated A.J. Heightman, editor-in-chief of JEMS. "The efforts of these individuals and organizations are exemplary and should serve as a motivation for other EMS professionals to think about solutions to the challenges within their own EMS systems."

Recipients were judged on their fulfillment of at least one of the following 2012 criteria:

• Introduced or published a new clinical or operational program or concept that constitutes an extraordinary contribution to prehospital emergency medicine;

• Revised a local protocol or standard operating procedure (SOP) that significantly enhanced the efficiency, safety or quality of EMS care or the work environment for EMS personnel;

• Implemented a unique educational model or recruitment and retention program that drastically increased or improved the local workforce;

• Spearheaded the development of a new state or regional group or agreement in an effort to improve preparedness for major incidents."

Over the last five years, the EMS 10 program has given us outstanding examples of how individuals and organizations have pushed to transform patient care. By showcasing their innovations at EMS Today and through the EMS 10 supplement we are able to share their achievements with a worldwide audience," said Brian Webster, president and CEO, Physio-Control.

"Physio-Control applauds this year's EMS 10 winners for pushing emergency medicine forward. These individuals share Physio-Control's own commitment to innovation and serve as an inspiration for emergency response professionals everywhere. "

Now in its 33rd year of publication, JEMS is published monthly and distributed to EMS professionals worldwide.The journal offers focused editorial content on a variety of topics that include clinical information on patient assessment and treatment, industry trends and relevant commentary. More information may be found at www.JEMS.com.

Congratulations, Captain Curry!