ACEP kicks off 35th annual national EMS Week, May 18–24: “Your Life Is Our Mission”

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) will kick off the 35th annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week starting May 18 with events in communities across the nation as well as several national events organized around the theme “Your Life is Our Mission.”  

EMS providers include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders, fire fighters and police. National EMS Week will feature hundreds of grassroots activities coast-to-coast, including golf tourneys, bake sales, blood pressure checks, presentations on cardiac health, CPR classes and child passenger safety seat inspections. National events include the Stars of Life Celebration from May 5­–7 in Washington D.C., which pays tribute to paramedics and EMS personnel who exemplify what is best about their service. The Stars of Life Banquet on May 6 honors 100 EMS professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.

“Around 1 million EMS professionals provide lifesaving care to people in their communities when every minute counts, before they even get to the emergency department,” says Dr. Linda Lawrence, president of ACEP. “This year’s theme, ‘Your Life is Our Mission,’ illustrates the selflessness and commitment these extraordinary people bring to their jobs every hour of every day of the year. For this, they deserve our recognition and thanks.”

From May 17–24, the EMS Memorial Bike Ride from New York City to Roanoke, Va., will raise awareness of the National EMS Memorial and the National EMS Memorial Service. This year, one group of riders will start their journey in New York City, while another starts in Lexington, Ky. Both rides will converge in Roanoke on May 24 for the National EMS Memorial Service. This service honors EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty and will include a National Moment of Silence at 8 p.m. EDT.

EMS Week 2008 corporate sponsors include American Medical Response, OnStar, NBC Universal, JEMS magazine and EMS Magazine. ACEP’s 2008 organizational partners for EMS Week include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emergency Medical Services for Children and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

ACEP reminds you always to call EMS if you or someone you are with needs immediate medical treatment. To make this decision, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the victim’s condition life-threatening?
• Could the victim’s condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?
• Does the victim require the skills or equipment of paramedic or emergency medical technicians?
• Could the distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the victim to the hospital?

If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” or if you are unsure, it is best to call EMS (911 in most communities). Paramedics and emergency medical technicians can begin medical treatments at the scene and on the way to the hospital and alert the emergency department of your condition en route.

When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly. Give your name, address and phone number; give the location of the victim and describe the problem. Do not hang up until the operator tells you to, because he or she may need more information or need to give you instructions.