EMS Week: First responders across the country honored for their sacrifices

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - This year, May 21-27 is EMS Week, a national celebration meant to honor those who provide both help and hope when tragedy strikes our communities.

The honorary week first began in 1974 when President Gerald Ford authorized the week to celebrate the personnel and the work they provide. The American College of Emergency Physicians now partners with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians to carry on the tradition.

Director of the EMS and Disaster Preparedness Department at the American College of Emergency Physicians Rick Murray said the custom is also meant to be learning experience for those who aren’t in the industry.

“The other objective is we use this opportunity to provide education to the public on like how to learn or to teach CPR, stop the bleed safety courses like, you know, always wear your bicycle helmet, and then warning signs for heart attack and stroke and other timely health messages,” Murray said.

Chief of EMS for the City of Middleton Steve Wunsch said that while it is exhilarating, the profession can be daunting.

“There’s a lot of sacrifices that our staff makes because it is a 24/7 operation, so people do have to work nights, weekends, holidays, often times they have to sacrifice things away from their family and we get that, and we certainly appreciate all of those efforts that people do,” Wunsch said. “It’s not a Monday through Friday job.”

Despite the unusual hours, Wunsch said the job is a rewarding one and no day is ever the same.

“The fact that every day is different, you may go out on calls that are similar, but every case presentation, every patient is different. That’s appealing to many people that they can actually come to work and not necessarily do the same thing every day,” he said.

Murray said whether an organization hosts a BBQ, open house at an EMS station, or health fair, the objective is the same.

“Number one is to recognize the service that all of the first responders. The EMTs, the paramedics provide every day in every community across the country and recognize them whether they’re a volunteer, whether they’re paid where they work for a private service for a fire department,” Murray said. “There’s many different ways that EMS is provided in each community, so, we want to honor those people that provide that service.”

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