Cherokee County Fire And Emergency Services: Firefighters Take Final Exam On Electrocardiograms

Press release from the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services:

June 24, 2021

Cherokee County firefighters, who are in the latest paramedic class, were taking their electrocardiogram (ECG) final exam today at the Cherokee County Fire Training Center. According to Training Officer, Kristina Wigington, “An electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat. With each beat, an electrical impulse (or “wave”) travels through the heart.” Paramedics usually do an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check the heart's rhythm and find out if the symptoms are due to a heart attack. Depending on what the rhythm looks like, and the symptoms described by the patient, paramedics may make a preliminary diagnosis of a heart attack. “This is an advanced skill that is used in the field,” added Wigington.  Twenty-seven firefighters, twenty-five from Cherokee County and two from Bartow County are currently in the class which started last October.  The class is takes approximately 15 months to complete.

This press release was produced by the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services. The views expressed here are the author’s own.