EMS Week 2016: How to Celebrate

National EMS Week, held this year from May 15–21, was started with the purpose of celebrating EMS personnel nationwide and recognizing the work they do on a daily basis. So, what’s the best way for your organization to celebrate your employees?

On its website, NAEMT provides a list of ten ways for organizations to celebrate their EMS providers.  

Many of the strategies revolve around recognition, including creating awards for “EMT or Paramedic of the Year” and hosting an event to announce the recipients, recognizing a CPR save within the organization and honoring fallen EMTs or paramedics.

The list also suggests providing inspiration for members of the organization, such as bringing in someone to give a rousing speech.

Creating a family atmosphere is another suggestion, and hosting events like a magic show or setting up a dunk tank can create a family-friendly environment where members of the team and their family members can enjoy an event together.

Finally, NAEMT suggests one, overarching concept: say thank you.

The EMS Strong website has been chronicling ways different agencies across the country have planned to celebrate EMS Week. The list of celebrations (which can be found here and here) includes honorary luncheons, open houses for EMS agencies, learning opportunities for paramedics and the community and events for children.

Another way to celebrate EMS personnel is through the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride. The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride is an event that aims to raise public awareness about duty deaths in EMS and honor EMS workers who continue to work despite the dangerous conditions they encounter.

This year, the East Coast leg of the ride coincides with EMS Week. The dates and locations for these rides are:

• May 15—Sturbridge, MA to New Haven, CT
• May 16—New Haven, CT to Princeton, NJ
• May 17—Princeton, NJ to Wilmington, DE
• May 18—Wilmington, DE to Dewey Beach, DE
• May 19—Dewey Beach, DE to Annapolis, MD
• May 20—Annapolis, MD to Arlington, VA

The last date to register for this leg of the event is May 7, but loops in Colorado, on the West Coast and in the Midwest will be held later this year. Attending the event as a spectator can be a rewarding experience for leadership or for EMS personnel as well.

For more information on this event, visit the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride website.

For more tips on how to celebrate or to learn more about National EMS Week, visit NAEMT.org or EMSStrong.org.