This year’s National EMS Week runs from May 17th to the 23rd. The week celebrates the work of emergency medical service workers and dispatchers who give lifesaving care to their communities every day.
Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital is showing its appreciation for the community’s EMS providers with a little fuel for the road. BARH Director of ER Services Shanon Berry showed off the catering spread arranged for EMS workers who bring patients to the ER throughout the day:
“We’re just celebrating the EMS: anybody that comes in that’s bringing in a patient. We have lunch set up for them that Chick-fil-A provided for us. That way, they have something just to grab and go to take back with them on the ride.”
EMS providers are on the front lines in stressful environments every day, helping people through the worst times of their lives.
“They do more than we here in the hospital could ever think of. Right. We see [patients]; we do the best we can to take care of them, but it’s all in a controlled setting. What they do out there is not controlled whatsoever. They’re putting their safety at risk to take care of us and my family that’s out there and could be in an accident.”
Berry shared a reason why a reliable EMS service is meaningful to her and all of us with loved ones:
“I have a 16-year-old… I think to myself, my goodness, like, what am I going to do if she is in an accident? I want to know that somebody is out there that’s going to get to her.”
Rushing from one emergency call to the next, there’s often little time for thanks. This week and its celebrations are meant to remind ems workers just how much their vital work is appreciated.
“We’re thankful for what they’re doing to take care of our patients. Thanks for the days that you don’t get to have a lunch. So here’s a lunch to say thank you. We see you. You’re working hard day in, day out, no matter the weather, no matter what, and keep doing what you’re doing, and your community appreciates you.”
