Virginia governor Ralph Northam has proclaimed the week ending Saturday, May 22, as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in the commonwealth.
This special week honors EMS responders’ commitment to providing the best prehospital emergency medical care to all people in Virginia.
Over the last year and a half, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an immeasurable strain on everyone, especially Virginia’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. Through the height of this public health crisis, the commonwealth’s first responders have continued to deliver lifesaving emergency care to the communities they serve. Last year, EMS providers responded to more than 1.56 million calls for help in Virginia, which represents approximately 4,280 incidents per day.
“Virginia’s EMS providers are on the frontlines of our healthcare system, providing care to severely ill and injured people in all kinds of situations, in homes, on the side of the road, wherever the emergencies are located,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver. “Numerous lives are saved every year because these highly trained men and women are able to get medical care to people quickly. We appreciate your hard work and salute your skill and dedication.”
“This pandemic has further highlighted the commitment and expertise of Virginia’s EMS providers,” said Gary Brown, director of the Virginia Department of Health Office of EMS. “You are our heroes and we will be forever thankful for your ability to save lives during our greatest hour of need. As we continue to make strides in the fight against COVID-19, we are reminded that our way through this pandemic is to get shots in arms. I have gotten my vaccination and want to express how important it is that all of our EMS providers get vaccinated too.”