EMS Week 2019

May 19-25, 2019, is the 45th annual National EMS Week.In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities.

EMS week is a wonderful way to celebrate our EMS personnel. EMS is dedication to duty and lifesaving patient care. It is responding to emergency calls, performing lifesaving skills and keeping the highest level of patient care during these intense situations. This one week a year we get to celebrate these brave men and women for their dedication to their communities.

This year, five days of EMS Week have a theme that represents the diverse nature of EMS.

• Monday - EMS Education Day
• Tuesday - Safety Tuesday
• Wednesday - EMS for Children Day
• Thursday - Stop the Bleed Day
• Friday - EMS Recognition Day

For our local EMS week the hospitals have provided some amazing recognition. We always get some incredible meals like smoked meats, burgers, sides and desserts. I love the swag we get every year too, I still use a cooler I got for EMS week many years ago. Last year one of our hospitals hired a mobile axe throwing company. It was a side by side competition and we all no how competitive firefighters are.

We would love to hear how your community celebrates EMS week in the comments.