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To the rescue
On the average, every family in Virginia will call on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at least once. Until a 1 medical emergency becomes a reality, it is easy to forget about the men and women of Virginia’s EMS agencies who stand re- 1 ady to respond 24 hours a day, every day. May 10-16 has been j set aside as Virginia Emergency Medical Services Week to j honor and recognize volunteer and career EMS agencies. •
Many EMS Week special events are planned throughout the state. This special week gives the public and the media an ideal time to simply say, “thanks. ”
Providing emergency care to the sick and injured can be a tough job, but EMS does it with skill and dedication. This commitment to excellence makes Virginia’s EMS system one of the finest in the nation. Virginia is one of only two states recognized by The Journal of the American Medical Association as having a truly complete statewide trauma care system. i
Across Virginia, calls for help are answered by volunteer 1 rescue squads, fire departments and municipal or private am- j bulance services. Each meets, and in most cases, exceeds minimum standards for training, equipment, sanitation and safety. The ambulances are staffed by emergency medical technicians, cardiac technicians or paramedics. Nearly half of the EMS agencies operate “emergency departments on wheels,” using sophisticated communications links between the hospital and the field. The cardiac technicians and paramedics act as the eyes, ears and hands of the emergency physicians.
EMS is but one link in the emergency health care chain. It is pari of a life-saving team that includes citizens with CPR or first aid training, police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, 911 operators and emergency physicians and nures. They all share the dedication and pride that comes from knowing they make a real difference in their community - a difference for life.
We take this occasion to salute the volunteers who risk their lives and spend countless hours in service to this community through fire and rescue work. Membership in a rescue squad requires commitment and sacrifice, but it is also tremendously rewarding. That reward, helping neighbors in times of dire emergency, is what keeps the rescuers going— during the bad times, on the rough calls, when fund-raising campaigns come up short, or when the squad morale dips.
For their dedication, a simple ‘thank you’ seems insufficient. We hope Rappahannock’s residents will at least say thank you this week. Perhaps some will even say, “How can I help?” That, for the rescuers, will make all the sacrifice worthwhile.
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