The American College of Emergency Physicians is celebrating Emergency Medical Services Week this week with events organized around the theme “EMS Strong, Beyond the Call.”
WVU Medicine will honor local emergency-medical services providers in the Eastern Panhandle during the national celebration.
Berkeley and Jefferson medical centers will host cookouts for EMS personnel during the week.
“The emergency department staffs at both hospitals recognize the value and the accomplishments of our EMS providers,” Donnie Grubb, trauma coordinator for Berkeley Medical Center, said in a news release. “EMS workers provide a vital, invaluable public service that saves lives every day.”
EMS personnel include paramedics, emergency-medical technicians, first responders, firefighters and police officers — some paid and others volunteer.
“Regardless of how we celebrate, EMS Week is the perfect time to recognize all in EMS for the integral role they play in the health care system and in our communities,” Denise Carter, nurse director of emergency and trauma services at Jefferson Medical Center, said in the release.