Next week, May 17-23, is the 36th annual National Emergency Medical Services Week. National EMS Week was created in 1973 by then president Gerald R. Ford as an olive branch to the newly formed American College of Emergency Physicians. President Ford, a noted fiscal conservative, had eliminated from the proposed Federal Budget any new programs or funding, including a program for trauma center and EMS system development.
In response, the relatively new American College of Emergency Physicians led a lobbying effort to have the funding restored. Their efforts were successful enough in both congress and the senate to override President Ford’s elimination of the program. In fact, it was the only new program authorized in that year’s budget, much to the benefit of citizens and visitors of this great country.
Since then, EMS week has been proclaimed each year by the president as well as the governors of all 50 states.
EMS includes emergency dispatchers, frequently the public’s first point of contact with the local EMS system; first responders, which can include law enforcement, fire suppression or other trained personnel who make initial patient contact and begin treatment; Emergency Medical Technicians; and Advanced Life Support Providers such as EMT-intermediates and paramedics. But it does not stop there. That is only the pre-hospital portion of the EMS system.
EMS continues with the patient’s treatment by specially trained emergency department nurses and physicians, medical support services at the receiving hospital or clinic as well as various patient treatment specialists such as trauma surgeons, cardiologists, neurologists, etc.
Additionally, there are specialty response units – everything from mountain rescue teams, air ambulances (both fixed wing and helicopters) as well as ground critical care transport teams and ambulances.
One of the many events scheduled on a national basis is the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride. This year there will be two rides, one originating just outside of New York City and the second beginning in Paintsville, Ky. Both will arrive on the same day in Roanoke, Va., home of the National EMS Memorial. This year’s memorial service will honor 91 EMS providers from 26 states who lost their lives in the line of duty in the last year.
Locally, many area EMS providers have or will be putting on safety fairs and training including everything from giving out bicycle helmets to young riders to car seat installation training for new parents.
In 2006, Congressman John Salazar had the American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to honor the men and woman of Ouray County EMS for EMS Week. In 2008, former Colorado State Representative Ray Rose had the Colorado state flag flown over the State Capitol building for the same reason.
