Ellington Designated HeartSafe Community
Ellington has joined 18 other towns in Connecticut designated as HeartSafe Communities. Ellington has demonstrated a commitment toward ensuring that their residents and visitors receive the early lifesavings response proven to increase the chances of survival for heart attack victims by providing the four vital links of the "Chain of Survival:"
• Early access to emergency care;
• Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR);
• Early defibrillation; and
• Early advanced care.
A HeartSafe community is determined by matching the area's population with the number of fire, police, and EMS, services, as well as various town departments, schools, and businesses that provide training opportunities and have publicly located automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Eight Ellington firefighters, and others in the region who provide emergency services, took part a NIMS 400 class held at the Ellington Firehouse. NIMS stands for National Incident Management System and was developed so responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines can work together better to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, including acts of terrorism. NIMS benefits include a unified approach to incident management, standard command and management structures, and emphasis on preparedness, mutual aid and resource management.