EMS Week Recognition Day: 59 EMS and Air Medical Fallen to be Honored During National EMS Weekend of Honor

The National EMS Memorial Service and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride will pay tribute to 59 EMS and air medical fallen from 22 states across the U.S. during the 2023 National EMS Weekend of Honor. It is scheduled July 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, 2799 Richmond Highway in Arlington, Va.

There will be a variety of activities during the three days, two of which are open to the public and media. All are invited and encouraged to attend as a show of support for the selfless service and sacrifice of the honorees and the loved ones they left behind. The Moving Honors procession will conclude its 28-day journey from Riverside, CA to Arlington, VA on Friday afternoon, July 21 and will be escorted by the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride’s Ride of Honor to the Hyatt Regency.

Once there, an unveiling ceremony of the Tree of Life with the names of the 59 honorees and presentation of dog tags to the families will occur. The following evening, July 22, 2023, the National EMS Memorial Service, a formal ceremony to honor fallen EMS and air medical professionals, will be held. Both events will be located at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.

Therapy and comfort dogs as well as grief support teams from a variety of volunteer groups will be onsite throughout the weekend to offer support to the families and EMS volunteers. The Service will be livestreamed.

Detailed information, including a link to the live stream of the Service, will be posted to the National EMS Memorial Service website and Facebook page once finalized.

The National EMS Weekend of Honor usually coincides with the beginning of National EMS Week in May but was moved to July in 2021 and based upon overwhelming positive feedback from attendees plus the reduction in cost for everyone, the decision was made to continue to host the events in July.  “Our commitment in continuing to recognize the EMS and air medical providers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and supporting the loved ones they left behind, remains firm,” said Jana Williams, president of the National EMS Memorial Service. “It is our mission to ensure their sacrifice is always remembered and never forgotten.”

The Weekend of Honor is organized and hosted by the following volunteer-staffed organizations: National EMS Memorial Bike Ride and the National EMS Memorial Service. See http://www.national-ems-memorial.org/ or Facebook/NEMSMS for more information on the specific event times and locations as they become available.