National Emergency Medical Services Week is May 18-24. This is an opportunity to honor the dedicated EMS providers who serve our agency, ensuring the health and safety of their colleagues in times of medical emergencies.

Since its establishment in 1974, National EMS Week has been a time to reflect on the critical role of emergency medical personnel. We not only celebrate our current EMS providers but also recognize those who came before us—those who challenged the status quo, identified the need for EMS, and raised the bar for all of us. Their dedication laid the foundation for the strong EMS program we have today.

This program ensures that our EMS providers are credentialed, well-trained and prepared to respond when duty calls. Our EMS personnel have volunteered for this collateral duty, stepping up to assist colleagues who may be ill or injured, often in remote and challenging environments.

The program includes a robust physician cadre with local emergency medical advisors providing local medical direction to our EMS providers. Today, the program includes employees across various disciplines—including law enforcement and investigations, fire and aviation, recreation, dispatch, and forestry—who are credentialed to provide emergency medical services.

The Forest Service has a noble motto: Caring for the land and serving people. Our EMS providers embody this by protecting those who carry out on-the-ground work. Their commitment to excellence is evident each day.

As we celebrate National EMS Week 2025, I encourage everyone to take a moment to recognize the dedication and sacrifice of our EMS personnel. Their work ensures that our employees can perform their duties with the confidence that medical support is available when needed.

Thank you for the lifesaving work you do every day.

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