Celebrate EMS Week with Escambia County

Escambia County is celebrating National EMS Week May 16-22, which honors emergency medical service professionals for their dedication to public service while raising awareness about the many EMS services, resources and programs available to Escambia County citizens. This year’s theme is This Is EMS: Caring for Our Communities.

The Escambia County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation during the May 6 board meeting recognizing the week of May 16-22, 2021, as "Emergency Medical Services Week," in Escambia County.

National EMS Week is presented by the American College of Emergency Physicians in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. For each day of EMS Week, a designated theme is provided:

• Monday: Education Day, highlighting public education programs and EMS provider education
• Tuesday: Safety Tuesday, promoting safety for the EMS provider, the patient and the public
• Wednesday: EMS for Children Day, highlighting the unique needs of caring for children
• Thursday: Save-A-Life Day, promoting "Stop the Bleed" citizen bleeding control education, "Until Help Arrives" active bystander training, public CPR programs and other related education programs
• Friday: EMS Recognition Day, to recognize local EMS heroes and saves by the EMS system

"We are thankful for this time to celebrate our emergency medical service professionals and the amazing work they do," said Interim Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. "Our EMS teams go above and beyond to save lives and care for our community every single day. Our paramedics, EMTs and other frontline workers have been especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are incredibly thankful for their service and dedication to the citizens of Escambia County."

Escambia County EMS Facts:

• Escambia County EMS, a division of the Escambia County Department of Public Safety, is provider of critical care, advanced life support, basic life support and bariatric transports. ECEMS provides these services to Escambia County’s 300,000-plus residents. EMS has an active Public Education Information Program that provides valuable information to various groups, including students, civic organizations, churches, professionals and the general public. EMS also provides both hands free and hands-only CPR training.
• EMS responded to 57,950 emergency incidents last year. Additionally, EMS responded to 43,922 calls for transports.
• Escambia County EMS has 128 full-time personnel and 73 emergency relief personnel. This includes a chief of EMS, deputy chief, section chief, medical director, EMS shift commanders, field paramedics and EMTs, fleet manager, logistics supervisor, and logistics support staff as well as billing and office support staff.
• Both EMTs and paramedics have the knowledge and skills to transport patients and provide them with emergency care. EMTs are educated in many skills including CPR, giving patients oxygen, administering glucose for diabetics and helping others with treatments for asthma attacks or allergic reactions. Paramedics are advanced providers of emergency medical care and are highly educated in topics such as anatomy and physiology, cardiology, medications, and medical procedures. They build on their EMT education and learn more skills such as administering a wider range of medications, starting intravenous lines, providing advanced airway management for patients, and resuscitating and supporting patients with significant problems such as heart attacks and traumas.
• Escambia County EMS is a designated American Heart Association Gold Level recipient for 2017. This distinction is awarded to the top tier agencies that provide excellence in cardiac care.
• EMS employees from all levels of the organization are active in developing a strategic plan through an organization committee and are committed to an organizational active learning model.

To learn more about Escambia County EMS, click HERE.

The Escambia County Emergency Medical Services Department is currently looking for individuals who uphold our values of service, professionalism and vigilance to join our team. Interested applicants should click HERE for more information.

Escambia County Board of County Commissioners present "Emergency Medical Services Week" proclamation to Escambia County EMS.