Celebrating National EMS Week in the Tri-States

The American College of Emergency Physicians, in partnership with the
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, has announced the theme for EMS Week 2023: Where Emergency Care Begins.

And for our local community, that's right here at home in the Tri-States. The national campaign honors the men and women who provide emergency medical services to our communities throughout this week, and we can do our part in thanking them for always going above and beyond when it comes to our health, safety, and well-being.

EMS Week brings the EMS community together and acknowledges the accomplishments of EMTs and paramedics, while building awareness of their important role in the communities where they live and work. Each weekday has specific themes to help us understand just how important our local EMTs are:

• Monday – EMS Education Day
• Tuesday – Safety Tuesday
• Wednesday – EMS for Children Day
• Thursday – Save-A-Life Day (CPR & Stop the Bleed)
• Friday – EMS Recognition Day

In Dubuque, our ambulance service is more than just sirens and lights, especially for those on the receiving end of emergency treatment. It's providing medical transport services, life-saving measures, and reassurance to those in an emergency setting. The Dubuque Fire Department ambulance service provides the following coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

• Basic and Advanced Life Support
• Emergency Transfers
• Non-Emergency Transfers
• Hospital Discharges
• Inter-facility transfers
• Event Standby

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According to the city of Dubuque website, Dubuque Fire Department ambulances are all staffed with two paramedics. Members of the fire department are dual-trained as EMTs and firefighters, experienced to handle any situation and offer Advanced Life Support Engine companies. This allows the department additional capabilities to respond to any location within the community, initiating expedient advanced medical care.

The department maintains six stations throughout the community to provide prompt paramedic response with average arrival within 7 to 8 minutes. All members participate in continuing education to improve their knowledge and skills as they provide exceptional care to the community.

In smaller or rural communities, your EMS providers are usually neighbors, friends, and community member volunteers. It can be a thankless job that requires dropping everything at a moments notice to be onsite at a strangers request; and usually in response to some form of tragedy. It takes a special person to volunteer to deal with some of the most emotional and excruciatingly difficult scenes to stomach. Keep yourself a little bit safer and prepared with some of these tips and tricks.

So this week, when you see an ambulance, fire truck, or emergency responder speed by make sure to find time to say thank you for all they do, because one day you may be on the receiving end of one of those calls.