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Since 1974, National EMS Week has recognized the important contributions emergency medical services (EMS) professionals make in providing for the health and safety of those in their communities. The week seeks to honor and focus attention on the incredible impact that EMS professionals and physicians make every day.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the first National EMS Week, which will be observed May 19-25, 2024. This year’s theme is “Honoring our past. Forging our future.”
EMS is usually all about the moment. But the past holds immense lessons—whether it’s the experience of the people who train us or the struggles and triumphs from EMS’s earliest days.
The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) have partnered to lead annual EMS Week activities. NAEMT and ACEP have organized the following daily themes for the week:
- Sunday, May 19 – Health, Wellness and Resilience Day.
- Monday, May 20 – EMS Education Day.
- Tuesday, May 21 – Safety Tuesday.
- Wednesday, May 22 – EMS for Children Day.
- Thursday, May 23 – Save-A-Life Day (CPR & Stop the Bleed).
- Friday, May 24 – EMS Recognition Day.
- Saturday, May 25 – EMS Remembrance Day.
The National EMS Week website at EMSWeek.org contains a planning checklist and downloadable logos, tools, and resources designed to help agencies organize, plan, and celebrate EMS Week in their own neighborhoods and communities.
In addition to the informational and promotional resources at EMSWeek.org, NAEMT has a themed infographic, Big Moments in EMS History, and a great list of ideas for celebrating EMS Week.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program will observe “EMS for Children Day” on Wednesday, May 22. This day is an opportunity to highlight the distinctive physiological and psychological aspects of caring for children and to raise awareness about improving specialized care for children in pre-hospital and acute care settings.
EMSC will host a webinar, Prehospital Pediatric Airway Management: The Past, Present, and Future, on Wednesday, May 22, from 5-6:30 p.m. EDT. The session will cover historical milestones, current practices, and future advancements shaping pediatric airway management in EMS.