New York State Department Of Health Officials Lay Wreath At EMS Memorial To Honor Fallen As Part of "EMS Week"

An Additional Memorial Event is Planned for September at the New York State Tree of Life EMS Memorial

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 19, 2022) - New York State Department of Health officials today laid a wreath at the New York State Tree of Life EMS Memorial in tribute to EMS providers who died in the line of duty as part of the 47th Annual "National EMS Week."

Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner Kristin Proud and NYSDOH EMS Director Ryan Greenberg participated in the event. Photos can be viewed here

"Today we honor the EMS providers we've lost in the line of duty over the last year," DOH Commissioner Mary T. Bassett said. "They place themselves directly in harm's way for the safety of others, and we can't thank them enough for their selfless commitment and courage and for keeping our communities safe."

Roughly 70,000 EMS professionals across New York State respond to more than 3.5 million calls for care per year, including providing emergency medical services to more than 150,000 ill or injured children each year. During the height of the Omicron wave, New York State bolstered the EMS workforce with the development of the 2022 pilot EMS academy training program that trained more than 400 New York National Guard members and 200 civilians as Emergency Medical Technicians in under eight weeks.

Now in its 47th year, EMS Week is a national campaign sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) that supports and strengthens the EMS community by honoring their accomplishments and increasing awareness of their critical role. The theme for EMS Week 2022 is "Rising to the Challenge."

In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities. National Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's frontline. Visit https://emsweek.org/ for more information about EMS Week 2022.

A formal memorial event is planned for September at the New York State Tree of Life EMS Memorial, after the site goes through planned renovations this summer.

Governor Kathy Hochul also issued a proclamation today declaring this week “EMS Week.”