During National EMS Week, we are recognizing the important work our EMS members do in communities throughout the United States. Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more challenging for EMS personnel on the frontlines who have continued to provide exceptional patient care.
We encourage you to highlight the role of EMS response in your community using the resources and materials we’ve developed for EMS Week. This toolkit includes social media graphics, suggested posts and additional resources.
We hope you will use EMS Week as an opportunity to recognize the services and sacrifices of our EMS members and to further raise public awareness of the critical role of EMS in the community.
#EMSWeek #ProtectingtheProtector
Contact [email protected] with any questions or for assistance with IAFF toolkits.
Use this EMS Week 2022 press release template to send to local media in your community.
EMS Safety Practices Guide
The U.S. Fire Administration’s EMS Safety Practices Guide aims to support and strengthen fire and emergency medical services and stakeholders to prepare for, prevent, mitigate and respond to all hazards.
Roadway Safety
Three injury crashes occur every minute in the United States, putting nearly 39,000 incident responders potentially in harm’s way every day. A cadre of well-trained responders helps improve traffic incident response. Better incident response improves the safety of responders and drivers, reduces crashes that occur because of incident-related congestion, decreases traffic delays caused by incidents and can cut incident response time.
Review this free module on traffic incident management from the ResponderSafety Learning Network.
Civil Unrest
Civil unrest may occur as a period of social upheaval, following sporting events or during periods of heightened community tension. Fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel will be called to respond to these incidents, placing themselves at higher than anticipated levels of risk. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) worked together to compile these best practices to assist you as you respond to civil unrest incidents in your community.
Opioids
Fire service personnel not only respond to the opioid epidemic on a daily basis, but they are part of the solution. Community Approaches to the Opioid Crisis focuses on the experience of two IAFF affiliates that have taken an innovative approach to fighting the opioid crisis in their communities.
COVID-19
In light of the current pandemic, the IAFF wants to remind responders to stay vigilant, wear proper PPE and follow safety protocols.
Nutrition
The leading causes of death for fire fighters and EMS personnel are cancer and heart disease. The risks are high and the connection between chronic and preventable disease associated with poor nutrition and obesity are well-documented. In an effort to reduce these preventable deaths and diseases, the IAFF developed a nutrition campaign to bring awareness to the importance of nutrition and its role in fire fighter health. This campaign will engage our members in creating and maintaining healthy eating habits that support fire fighter training, work demands, fitness goals and long-term health.
Behavioral Health
Despite increased awareness of behavioral health problems in the fire and EMS service, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, burnout and suicide continue to plague our ranks.
The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery is a flagship recovery center exclusively for IAFF members struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, substance and alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety and other behavioral health conditions to receive the help they need in taking the first steps toward recovery. Review the IAFF Center of Excellence Toolkit for more information about the center.
Social Media Posts
Join us in promoting EMS Week by using the suggested messaging below highlighting your local EMS response system or develop your own messaging throughout the week to show your appreciation to your EMS providers.
Sunday, May 15: EMS Recognition and Appreciation Day
Monday, May 16: Traffic Incident Management
Tuesday, May 17: Exercise and Nutrition
Wednesday, May 18: PPE
Thursday, May 19: Civil Unrest/Assaults/Paramedic Safety
Friday, May 20: Behavioral Health