This year, May 16-22 is being recognized as Emergency Medical Services Week. This time on the calendar is meant to recognize and honor the men and women on medicine’s front lines.
After the year we’ve experienced, we all likely better appreciate the people who are highly-trained to act quickly when someone is unwell or injured.
The Lapeer County Commission recently adopted a resolution in honor of EMS Week, making several important points worth repeating here.
They note that emergency medical services are a vital public service and the clinicians who work in the field are ready to provide round the clock life-saving care.
They also emphasize that emergency care makes a big difference in the survival and recovery rates of those who experience sudden illness or injury.
The resolution also notes the gap that these professionals span in providing services outside of the hospital setting including preventative and follow up care.
It’s also worth noting the time they devote to specialized training and continuing education to hone their lifesaving skills.
We wish to salute everyone in the emergency medical services system—central dispatch personnel, medical first responders, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, police officers, emergency department staff and many others—for their willingness to serve and help those in need. Their dedication to the work and professionalism shown in all kinds of harrowing circumstances is worthy of recognition.
