LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 21, 2012) - May 20-26 is National EMS Week and presents an opportunity to honor the men and women who deliver pre-hospital emergency medical care, anytime, anywhere.
EMS providers are highly trained and equipped to provide virtually every community with timely, expert clinical care.
Ambulances are staffed with paramedics, EMT's and first-responders that respond quickly, professionally, and compassionately in communities across the United States everyday, twenty-four hours a day.
National EMS Week is a time to pause and say thank you to the entire EMS family.
Dwayne Aalset is president of the Arkansas EMT Association and says that the EMS system actuallys cover a wide gamut.
"You've got to start with the dispatchers that take the call and they give you pre-arrival life-saving instructions to help the people that are in need," says Aalset. "Then you have the first-responders. Then comes the ambulance and the ambulance will transport you to the hospital. It's kind of like a big puzzle; all the pieces have to work together to go ahead and save a person's life."
In honor of those first-responders right here in Arkansas, there will be a Parade of Lights followed by a special recognition for this year's Arkansas "Stars of Life" and other state EMS leaders and the introduction of an EMS Hall of Fame.
"It will actually be the first year we'll have the Arkansas EMS Hall of Fame," says Aalset. "There are five different members that will be in there, one of the biggest is Dr. Hammond, one of the pioneers of EMS in Arkansas."
The parade will be Wednesday, May 23 with the procession of ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and any vehicle with lights and sirens starting at 8 a.m. at War Memorial. Everyone is invited to attend.
(Source: Arkansas EMT Association)