The Forest Service is partnering with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Associations of Emergency Medical Technicians to celebrate National Emergency Medical Services Week 2023, May 21-27. Established in 1974, National Emergency Medical Services Week celebrates our emergency medical services personnel and the important work they do.

This is the perfect time to honor the dedication of Forest Service EMS employees who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services to their colleagues during a medical emergency.

Please join me in recognizing the dedication of these employees who may have to act, on any given day, to provide lifesaving services for others.

I am proud to be affiliated with the Forest Service EMS program and support the continued effort to both establish and maintain regional EMS program participation. This program is essential to support our EMS providers as authorized (credentialed), well-trained and prepared practitioners. 

Our Forest Service EMS providers have volunteered for this collateral duty so they may help others who may be ill or injured. The Forest Service EMS program continues to grow: Four regions are fully on board, and another four are in the process of launching their participation in the program. 

Forest Service Medical Director Dr. Michelle Curry and EMS program manager Bob Ehrlich have built a robust physicians’ cadre. We have 80 local emergency medical advisors across the nation who support the program and provide local medical direction to our EMS providers. Approximately 1,000 employees have been credentialed across many disciplines, including law enforcement & investigations, fire & aviation, recreation, dispatch and forestry. The EMS program is committed to supporting our EMS providers so they may, in turn, support employees and members of the public who may be in medical need.

For more information on the Forest Service EMS program, please see https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/emergency-medical-service-program or send an email to the EMS team at SM.FS.EMS@usda.gov.  

The Forest Service has a noble mission to protect natural resources, and our EMS providers support those who carry out our mission in the field. As EMS field teams perform their professional duties, their commitment to perform to the best of their abilities is a tribute to the Forest Service’s core values of service, conservation, interdependence, diversity and safety.

Please help me celebrate the important contributions of our EMS members in safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of all Forest Service employees.

Thank you for the work you do every day. Stay well and safe!

Editor's Note: Provide feedback about this column, submit questions or suggest topics for future columns through the FS-Employee Feedback inbox.