In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities. Back then, EMS was a new profession, and EMS practitioners had only just started to be recognized as a critical component of emergency medicine and the public health safety net.

A lot has changed since then. EMS is now firmly established as an essential public function and a vital component of the medical care continuum. On any given day, EMS practitioners help save lives by responding to medical emergencies, including heart attack, difficulty breathing, a fall or accident, drowning, cardiac arrest, stroke, drug overdose or acute illness. EMS may provide both basic and advanced medical care at the scene of an emergency and en route to a hospital. EMS practitioners care for their patients' medical needs and show caring and compassion to their patients in their most difficult moments.

With the development of mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedicine (MIH-CP), EMS is also increasingly a valued participant in achieving the nation's overall healthcare goals of improved patient health and lowered costs.

Fore more information, please visit: https://www.naemt.org/ems_agencies_audience/ems-week/celebrate-ems-week