National EMS Week Shines Light on First Responders' Vital Role in Regional Readiness

Every year, National EMS Week serves as an important reminder to appreciation the people who dedicate their lives to protecting and saving others. Observed May 18 – 24 this year, the week carries a powerful and timely theme: “We Care. For Everyone.”

This theme speaks to the heart of what Emergency Medical Services (EMS) truly represents — an unwavering commitment to care for people in need, regardless of who they are, where they are, or what circumstances they face.

Let’s explore the importance of EMS professionals and the role The Center’s Emergency Preparedness Program plays in keeping Northeast Ohio prepared for disasters.

The Purpose Behind EMS Week

National EMS Week was first authorized in 1974 by President Gerald Ford to recognize the vital work of emergency medical personnel. Since then, it has grown into a nationwide opportunity to spotlight the essential role of EMS professionals — including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, dispatchers, and other pre-hospital care providers — in ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of our communities.

From remote rural towns to large cities, EMS teams are on the front lines every day responding to emergencies ranging from car crashes and cardiac arrests to overdoses and natural disasters. They often encounter people on the worst day of their lives, and with training, composure, and compassion, they make the critical difference between life and death.

EMS personnel are serving in increasingly complex situations, facing everything from public health crises to mental health challenges to climate-related disasters. They are asked to do more with fewer resources, often under dangerous and emotionally intense conditions.

And yet, they continue to show up — not just with medical equipment and training, but with empathy, courage, and a firm belief in the value of human life.

Often the first on the scene, EMS professionals act quickly and decisively. They must calm panicked victims and bystanders, assess injuries in seconds, and make life-saving decisions under immense pressure. They may even be required to navigate dangerous roadways, enter uncertain environments, or work extended shifts with little rest — all for the sake of others.

And they do it, not for recognition, but because they care.

National EMS Week is a chance for the public, health systems, and local governments to say “thank you,” raise awareness, and promote community partnerships that support the work EMS does all year round

The Role EMS Plays in Regional Emergency Preparedness

The Emergency Preparedness program enhances emergency readiness across Northeast Ohio, managing the Northeast Ohio Healthcare Coalition (NEO HCC). This important work would not be possible without the essential contributions of emergency medical services.

Working closely with hospitals in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain counties, NEO HCC helps build and sustain hospitals’ capacity to respond to and recover from natural and man-made disasters.

A multidisciplinary team, the NEO HCC focuses on enhancing coordination, improving information sharing, and streamlining resource distribution among all emergency response sectors. This vital work is carried out through ongoing networking, planning, drills, and full-scale exercises — efforts that reflect the spirit of partnership honored during National EMS Week.

Not simply a voice on the other end of the phone during a crisis, the NEO HCC brings people to the table to communicate. Through effective leadership, years of experience, and an understanding of everyone’s different needs and abilities, the Coalition can be looked to for guidance during a variety of crises.

Since 2003, its team has served as regional healthcare coordinators for 25 acute care hospitals, focusing on strengthening individual and regional hospital preparedness through planning, coordination, collaboration and grant administration. Working to strengthen communication across the region, neighboring areas, and all of Ohio, one of the Coalition’s goal is to develop and implement best practices that help mitigate emergencies that could disrupt healthcare delivery across Northeast Ohio.

Funded by the Ohio Department of Health through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the program supports federal and state emergency preparedness priorities. These include improving interoperable communications, bed tracking systems, fatality management, hospital evacuation and surge capacity, pharmaceutical caches, personal protective equipment, decontamination, and coalition development.

This level of planning and collaboration are seen clearly when participating in full-scale National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) exercises designed to strengthen regional emergency response capabilities.

In 2024, NEO HCC participated in a large-scale exercise at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport, led by the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management. The simulation replicated a federally declared disaster, offering first responders and emergency managers the opportunity to practice life-saving procedures and coordinate mass casualty response efforts.

The Emergency Preparedness team played a central role in the event, managing hospital coordination and patient transport logistics across the region. Collaborating with local agencies and the Northeast Central Ohio region, the team helped ensure the smooth execution of the exercise, which featured mock patients arriving on a C-130 Hercules aircraft. The drill provided a critical opportunity for hospitals to test their mass casualty plans and evaluate readiness for two possible NDMS activations: the large-scale return of injured soldiers during wartime or the evacuation of patients following a major natural disaster.

While hospitals are the focal point for The Center’s emergency preparedness activities, emergency services are an important component. This is due to the intertwined relationship the two play in delivering critical care to the community. Every decision a hospital makes in an emergency can impact fire and EMS.

Thanks to the work by The Center’s Emergency Preparedness Program, hospitals will run more smoothly during a large-scale disaster. This planning enables EMS professionals to focus on their responsibilities without the worry of hospitals not being prepared to receive their patients.

By facilitating communication between counties, The Center helps ensure a more unified and effective response during critical situations — an essential contribution to the safety of Northeast Ohio.

The Northeast Ohio Healthcare Coalition’s annual conference will take place on June 6. Free of cost for attendees, this year’s event will feature an agenda packed with speakers, ranging from local to national organizations, and included awards presented to Northeast Ohio individuals who have made important contributions to the region.

Registration for the conference is open until May 30.

How Can You Show Your Support for EMS Professionals?

Whether you're a healthcare professional, a policymaker, a community leader, or simply someone who's been touched by the work of EMS, there are ways to honor and support EMS professionals this week and beyond:

• Say thank you: A personal note or a phone call of appreciation can mean the world.
• Social media post: Share a message of thanks and highlight local EMS teams on social media using hashtag #emsweek.
• Share EMS week images on social: You can share these EMS Week images on social media courtesy of emsweek.org.
• Acts of kindness: Deliver snacks, meals or coffee to a local EMS station.
• Advocate for funding: Support policies and funding initiatives that strengthen EMS systems.