The USDA Forest Service is proud to recognize the 50th anniversary of National Emergency Medical Services Week May 19-25. We honor not only our current Forest Service EMS providers, but those who came before us, especially those who challenged the status quo and raised the bar. We will continue to build upon their efforts. We pledge to keep the commitment and forge a future for the next generation of EMS professionals willing to serve the Forest Service community.

As the Forest Service National Medical Director, I am proud to be affiliated with the agency 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 (Forest Service credentialed), well-trained and prepared practitioners. Our agency EMS providers have sought and accepted this collateral duty so they may help others who may be ill or injured.  

EMS Week, established in 1974, celebrates our medical personnel for their important work. This is the perfect time to honor the dedication of Forest Service EMS employees who provide day-to-day lifesaving services to their colleagues during medical emergencies. Please join me in recognizing the dedication of these employees who may have to act, on any given day, to provide lifesaving services.

The Forest Service EMS Program continues to grow within all regions. The Washington, D.C.-based EMS management team, under Program Manager Bob Ehrlich, has built a robust physician 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 1,050 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 incidentally the public that may be in medical need.  

The Forest Service has a noble mission to protect natural resources, and our EMS providers protect 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 agency’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 our employees.

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

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