National EMS Week is May 19-25, 2013, and the annual observance is a chance to raise awareness of the services provided, recognize exceptional efforts, and share accident and injury prevention messages.
The theme for this year’s observance is “EMS: One Mission. One Team.”
Within the City of Issaquah, the entire Eastside Fire & Rescue service area and King County, the EMS message has always been “One Mission. One Team.”
Eastside Fire & Rescue Chief Lee Soptich is quick to point to the layered response plans that bring together citizens, firefighters, paramedics and emergency room staff.
Under a seamless-borders approach, the closest units respond to emergencies regardless of jurisdiction.
In addition, countywide training programs and the Medic One Levy assure consistent funding throughout King County.
“No surprise to me why the survival outcomes are as high as they are,” Soptich said.
While National EMS Week is set aside to highlight the good work of emergency medical providers, Soptich notes the appreciation of the responders in recognizing the people who assist in the most fundamental ways — by getting trained as a civilian to do first aid, paying their taxes and supporting the work of first responders.
“The everyday effort across this country by hundreds of thousands of EMS workers involving injury-prevention programs and/or care for sick neighbors or total strangers is nothing less than remarkable,” he said. “In my 38 years in the industry, EMS work is one of the operations that consistently brings a big smile to my face and causes me to be so proud of the industry.”