FAST (stroke) FAST (stroke) FAST is an acronym used as a mnemonic to help detect and enhance responsiveness to the needs of a person having a stroke. The acronym stands for Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to call emergency services. The FAST was developed in the UK in 1998 by a group of stroke physicians, ambulance personnel, and an emergency department physician and was designed to be an integral part of a training package for ambulance staff. The FAST was created to expedite administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator to patients within 3 hours of acute stroke symptom onset.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department derailment and fire in a railway tunnel near Baltimore and just two weeks prior to the September 11 attacks, "The Washington Times" reported that internal documents showed DCFEMS "woefully unprepared" to handle a hazardous materials (or "haz-mat") spill or a biological, chemical or radiological attack. Firefighters and emergency medical personnel were not trained to recognize these hazards or contain them, and had not conducted training in the worst sort of haz-mat incident in more than two years. Few pledged in October 2001 to improve haz-mat response capability by staffing additional haz-mat vehicles with lesser-trained staff as an interim measure. He